Your hearing won’t be simply gone one day when you wake up. For most individuals, hearing loss progresses in degrees, especially when it is linked to the aging process. You might not recognize it’s occurring immediately but some signs do show up earlier.
The initial symptoms of progressive hearing loss are subtle. Recognizing them sooner is crucial to delay the development of hearing loss or other health problems related to aging. However, you’re unable to recognize the signs if you have no clue what they are. Consider these eight barely noticeable signs that you might have hearing loss.
1. You hear some people perfectly fine but not others
Maybe when you talk to your brother, you can hear him fine, but when your wife talks, some words just seem to get lost. It’s a typical sign of sensorineural hearing loss or damage to the nerves that send electrical messages to the brain.
Her voice is a higher pitch, and that’s why it isn’t as clear. 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 tones are high, also.
2. You avoid phone calls
It’s easy to make excuses for why you don’t answer the phone when it rings:
- It’s a brand new phone, and I’m simply not used to it yet
- I get a lot of spam calls – that’s most likely what it is
You hate talking on the phone, but why? It will be a good idea to get someone else to check the phone for you if the volume is all the way up and you still aren’t able to hear what the other person is saying. If they are able to hear the conversation and you can’t, your ears are likely the problem.
3. Why does everyone mumble these days?
It used to be just the kids, but lately, the woman on the TV news, the bartender, your neighbor, and your spouse all seem like they’re mumbling when they talk to you. If it seems as if everybody in your life is mumbling, you’re probably dealing with hearing loss, because what is the likelihood of that? You’re not hearing words the same as you used to. One of the first signs that something is happening with your hearing is when it sounds like people are mumbling and consonants like “S” and “T” are getting lost.
4. What?
You might not even realize that you can’t hear conversations anymore until someone points out that you’re saying “What?” during conversations a lot. Frequently, the first people to detect that you’re developing hearing loss are the people you see every day, like family and coworkers. If somebody comments on it, you should pay attention.
5. Why do I hear ringing noises in my ears?
This sign is somewhat more obvious, but unless it becomes a distraction, people tend to ignore it. Tinnitus, the medical term for the ringing or buzzing in the ear, is a prevalent symptom of hearing loss.
Tinnitus can also be periodic because triggers are a significant factor. Perhaps, when you first wake up in the morning is when you have the most pronounced ringing or buzzing. Or a trauma, circulatory issues, or high blood pressure might be the cause.
If you’re experiencing these symptoms you should make an appointment for an exam because they may be an indication that you’re having a health problem.
6. Meeting your friends at the neighborhood barbecue isn’t as fun
Again, there are those mumbling people, and that’s not fun. It’s so much more difficult to understand what people are saying in noisy places. Something as basic as youngsters playing and splashing around in the pool or the sound of the AC coming on you makes it extremely tough to hear anything. And, you always feel fatigued from trying to focus in on conversations.
7. You’re usually not this fatigued
It’s exhausting when you struggle to understand words. You feel more tired than usual because your brain needs to work harder to try and interpret what it’s trying to hear. You may even notice differences in your other senses. How much energy is left over for eyesight, for instance, if your brain is using so much of its energy trying to hear and understand words? If your last eye test was normal, then the next thing to get checked is your ears.
8. Why is this TV volume so low?
When you have to constantly turn the volume up on your TV, it becomes all too easy to place the blame on your service provider or that out-dated TV. When you have hearing loss it’s difficult to follow along with dialog on your favorite shows. Dialogue is being muddled by background music and sound effects. How about the other stuff in the room such as the AC or the ceiling fan? Your hearing may be failing if you constantly turn the volume up.
Fortunately, all it takes to know for certain is a professional hearing exam and if you find out your hearing is failing, hearing aids will help you get back to normal.
If you experience any of the above signs of hearing loss, give us a call today to make an appointment.