Your hearing won’t be just gone one day when you wake up. Hearing loss, particularly when it’s caused by aging, usually advances in degrees. Some signs appear earlier, though, and you don’t detect there is an issue immediately.
The early symptoms of progressive hearing loss are subtle. Slowing down the development of hearing loss and its associated health challenges is a matter of early detection. However, you’re unable to recognize the signs if you have no clue what they are. You might be developing hearing loss if you notice any of the following eight barely detectable indicators.
1. You hear some people perfectly fine but not others
Maybe when you speak with your brother, you can understand him fine, but when your wife talks, some words just seem to get lost. It’s a common sign of sensorineural hearing loss or damage to the nerves that deliver electrical messages to the brain.
Her voice is less clear to you because the pitch is higher. You may not be capable of hearing your daughter or grandchild very well for the same reason. Even higher pitched tones such as the phone ringing or alarm clock can get lost. Those are also high pitched tones.
2. You avoid phone conversations
When the phone rings you are inclined to make excuses for not picking it up:
- It’s a new phone, and I’m just not used to it yet
- It’s most likely just spam
You dread talking on the phone, but why? 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 aren’t able to hear what the other person is saying. You probably have a hearing loss issue if you can’t hear the voice but your friend can.
3. Why does everybody mumble these days?
It seems as if it’s no longer just the kids who are mumbling when they speak, it’s your neighbor, the news lady, your partner, and even your bartender. It’s difficult to imagine that everyone in your life suddenly has poor enunciation so this is a good indication of hearing decline. 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 dropping off.
4. You’re saying “what?” a lot
You might not even recognize that you can’t hear conversations anymore until someone points out that you’re saying “What?” during conversations a lot. Frequently the people you see on a daily basis like coworkers or family are the first to notice that you’re struggling to hear. If somebody comments on it, you should pay attention.
5. Why do I hear ringing sounds in my ears?
Okay, this isn’t really a subtle sign, but it is something individuals tend to ignore unless it’s distracting. A prevalent sign of hearing loss is a ringing in the ears, known as tinnitus.
Tinnitus can also be periodic because triggers are a significant factor. For example, perhaps the ringing, buzzing, or roaring only occurs in the morning or when you are tired. Or a trauma, circulatory problems, or high blood pressure could be the cause.
If you’re noticing these symptoms you should make an appointment for an exam because they might be an indication that you’re having a health problem.
6. Meeting your friends at the neighborhood barbecue isn’t as enjoyable
Once 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 settings. Something as simple as youngsters playing and splashing around in the pool or the sound of the AC kicking on you makes it impossible to hear anything. And trying to focus in on conversations is tedious.
7. You feel more fatigued than normal
Battling to understand words is draining. Your brain has to work overtime to process what it does hear, so you are more fatigued than normal. You might even notice changes in your other senses. How much energy is left for eyesight, for instance, if your brain is spending so much of its energy attempting to hear and understand words? If your last eye exam was good, then the next thing to get checked is your ears.
8. Why can’t I hear this TV?
It’s easy to blame your old TV or the service provider when you have to keep cranking up the volume. When you’re experiencing hearing loss it’s hard to hear dialog on your favorite shows. The background music and sound effects are befuddling dialogue, for example. How about the other things in the room such as the AC or the ceiling fan? If you keep turning up the volume, then your hearing might be failing.
The good news is, all it takes to know for sure is a professional hearing exam and if it turns out your hearing is declining, hearing aids will help you get back to normal.
Contact us today to make an appointment for a hearing assessment if you’ve noticed any of the above signs.
