- How to Care for Infants With Hearing Loss - April 15, 2024
- Hearing Aid Tips for Runners - April 5, 2024
- Overcoming Misconceptions Around Hearing Aids - March 27, 2024
Do you have hearing loss? You may not even know it! Hearing loss can develop gradually and before you know it, it can be difficult to hear, even in the most ideal of situations. While hearing loss becomes more common for those 60 and beyond, affecting 25 percent of all people and increasing rapidly, it can occur at any age. Knowing the signs of hearing loss ahead of time is a great way to identify the issue before it starts to affect your overall health, including the strength of your relationships, your mood, your self-esteem, physical safety, balance, cognitive health and more. Here are some common signs of hearing loss to look out for.
Issues Hearing Over the Phone
Phones aren’t always easy to hear through. Even when using headphones, it can be difficult to hear, without the ease of visual cues such as facial expression and body language. However, if this is a common problem for you even after you’ve updated your phone and technology, it could signal a greater issue with hearing. If you find you are turning up the volume on the telephone louder and louder it may be a sign it’s time to have your hearing checked.
Trouble Following Conversations in a Noisy Setting
It can always be a challenge to hear when other noises are abound. However, if you have hearing loss it can make it especially difficult to separate the sounds you want to hear from other conversations and background noise. If you are having trouble following a conversation when people are talking at the same time it could mean it’s time to have your hearing examined.
Others Complain the TV is Too Loud
It may seem just fine to you, but your family and friends are often the barometer to let you know when the volume is so loud it is unreasonable for those with normal hearing. You may already have discovered it’s easier for you to follow your favorite show when the closed captioning is on but chalked it up to funny accents which are hard for you to understand. However, if your family members complain the TV is too loud, take the complaint seriously. It could mean a hearing loss which needs to be addressed.
You Are Exhausted by Everyday Conversations
Some people are energized by social interaction, while others are drained. Whether you define yourself as an introvert or extrovert, it’s important to note how you’ve been feeling after a lot of socialization. With hearing loss it can take extra cognitive energy to piece together conversations in real time, when you can’t hear all the sounds due to hearing loss.
You say “What?” a lot…
Do you feel like you are having to ask people to repeat themselves more often than not?! This is one of the most common signs of hearing loss. You may rationalize that people are speaking too softly or mumbling but in truth, it really can’t hurt to schedule a hearing exam and find out for sure. There are so many solutions to ease this issue if you just give it a try.
Misunderstanding Become Common
When hearing loss sets in it often affects consonants such as “f” and “sh”, “d” and “b”. You may say “You want me to eat a frog?” when clearly they said “No, I said, ‘See the fog.’” These misunderstandings can be humorous—you gotta laugh sometimes to keep from crying. Left unaddressed common misunderstandings can progress into frustration at times and even cause confusion at work, affecting your earnings and standing as well as being irritating to you and the people you spend the most time with.
Taking the Steps to Find Relief
Living with unaddressed hearing loss really isn’t fun. People often put it off because they fear that admitting they have hearing loss will mean admitting they are aging or have a disability. However, once you do take the steps to treat a hearing loss you unlock the ability to change your situation for the better. The first step is admitting that you have hearing loss and taking the steps to simply schedule a hearing exam. Once you’ve attended your hearing exam, you’ll know for sure the extent of your hearing and have the path laid out for you on how to find relief. Join us now to discover what we can do to help enhance your hearing now!