Your hearing won’t be just gone one day when you wake up. For most people, hearing loss comes in degrees, especially when it is associated with the aging process. You may not recognize it’s happening immediately but some signs do show up earlier.
The early symptoms of progressive hearing loss are discrete. Recognizing them sooner is crucial to slow down the progression of hearing loss or other health issues associated with aging. But if you are unaware of what the early symptoms are, you won’t be able to recognize if you have them. Consider these eight barely detectable indicators that you might have hearing loss.
1. You hear some people just fine but not others
Maybe when you speak with your brother, you can hear him fine, but when your wife talks, some words just seem to get lost. It’s a typical indication that the nerves that transmit messages to the brain are damaged (called sensorineural hearing loss).
Her voice is a higher pitch, and that’s why it’s unclear. You may not be able to hear your daughter or grandchild very well for the same reason. Even technology like the microwave or an alarm can throw a loop into things. Those tones are high, also.
2. You don’t like to talk on the phone
When the phone rings you often make excuses for not answering:
- It’s most likely just spam
- It’s a brand new phone, and I’m simply not used to it yet
Contemplate why you dread using your phone. It will be a useful idea to get someone else to test the phone for you if the volume is at max and you still can’t hear what the other person is saying. You most likely have a hearing loss issue if you can’t hear the voice but your friend can.
3. Why is everybody mumbling?
It used to be just the kids, but as of late, the woman on the TV news, the bartender, your neighbor, and your spouse all seem like they are mumbling when they speak with you. If it seems as if everybody in your life is mumbling, you’re most likely dealing with hearing loss, because what is the probability of that? You’re not hearing words the same as you used to. One of the first signs that something is going on with your hearing is when it sounds like people are mumbling and consonants like “S” and “T” are getting lost.
4. What?
You may not even realize that you’re unable to hear conversations anymore until somebody points out that you’re saying “What?” during conversations a lot. Very often the people you see on a daily basis like coworkers or family are the first to detect that you’re struggling to hear. If somebody comments on it, you should pay attention.
5. What’s that ringing in my ears?
This sign is somewhat more obvious, but unless it becomes a distraction, people tend to disregard it. A common sign of hearing loss is a ringing in the ears, medically called tinnitus.
Tinnitus can also be periodic because triggers are a significant factor. For instance, maybe the ringing, buzzing, or roaring only happens in the morning or when you are tired. Or, it could also be a symptom of high blood pressure, circulatory problems, or trauma.
It’s essential that you don’t disregard these tinnitus symptoms because it’s a sign that something could be wrong, so you should schedule an appointment right away to get checked out.
6. It’s not as enjoyable going to the neighborhood block party
Again, there are those people mumbling, and that’s not fun. It’s so much harder to make out what people are saying in noisy places. It becomes impossible for you to hear anything when you’re around something as basic as the AC turning on or kids splashing and playing in the pool. And, you always feel exhausted from trying to keep up with conversations.
7. You feel more tired than usual
Struggling to understand words is draining. Your brain needs to work harder to process what it can hear, so you are more fatigued than usual. Your other senses may even start to change. If your brain is utilizing 110 percent of its time and energy to understand words, what’s left for your eyesight or balance? If your last eye test was good, then the next thing to get checked is your ears.
8. Why can’t I hear this TV?
It is easy to blame your old TV or the service provider when you need to keep turning up the volume. When you have hearing loss it’s hard to hear dialog on your favorite shows. The background music and sound effects are confusing dialogue, for example. How about the other things in the room like the AC or the ceiling fan? If you keep cranking the volume up, then your hearing could be failing.
The good thing is, if your hearing is failing, hearing aids can help, you just need to have your hearing tested.
Call us today to make an appointment for a hearing test if you’ve detected any of the above signs.