Your hearing won’t be simply gone one day when you wake up. For most individuals, hearing loss comes in degrees, particularly when it is associated with the aging process. You might not detect it’s taking place immediately but some indicators do appear earlier.
The initial symptoms of progressive hearing loss are subtle. Slowing down the development of hearing loss and its related health problems is a matter of early detection. But if you don’t know what the early symptoms are, you won’t be able to recognize if you have them. Consider these eight barely noticeable indicators that you might have hearing loss.
1. Some voices you can’t hear very well, others you can
Maybe when you talk to your brother, you can understand him fine, but when your wife speaks, some words just seem to get lost. It’s a typical indication of sensorineural hearing loss or damage to the nerves that deliver electrical messages to the brain.
Her voice is a higher pitch, and that’s why it’s unclear. You might have the same problem with your grandchild or daughter. Even higher pitched tones like the phone ringing or alarm clock can get lost. Those are also high pitched tones.
2. You avoid phone conversations
It’s easy to make excuses for why you don’t answer the phone when it rings:
- It’s likely just spam
- It’s a brand new phone, and I’m simply not used to it yet
You hate 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 all the way up and you still can’t hear what the other person is saying. You probably have a hearing loss problem 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 partner all seem like they are mumbling when they speak with you. It’s difficult to imagine that everyone in your life suddenly has bad enunciation so this is a good indication of hearing loss. The way you hear words is changing. One of the first indications that something is happening with your hearing is when it sounds like people are mumbling and consonants like “S” and “T” are dropping off.
4. What?
It may not be until someone points out that you’re saying “what?” a lot that you recognize you are developing hearing loss. Frequently the people you see on a daily basis like coworkers or family are the first to notice that you’re having a hard time hearing. You should certainly pay attention if someone says something.
5. What’s that ringing in my ears?
Okay, this isn’t exactly a subtle indication, but it is something individuals tend to ignore unless it’s disruptive. A prevalent sign of hearing loss is a ringing in the ears, known as tinnitus.
Triggers are a significant factor in tinnitus so it can be intermittent, too. Maybe, when you first wake up in the morning is when you have the most pronounced ringing or buzzing. Or, it could also be an indication of high blood pressure, circulatory issues, or trauma.
If you’re noticing these symptoms you should make an appointment for an exam because they might be a sign that you’re having a health problem.
6. It isn’t as enjoyable attending the neighborhood get-together
Once again, there are those mumbling people, and that’s not fun. It’s so much more difficult to make out what people are saying in noisy places. It becomes extremely difficult for you to hear anything when you’re around something as simple as the AC kicking in or children splashing and playing around the pool. And attempting to focus in on conversations is tedious.
7. You feel more tired than usual
Struggling to understand words is exhausting. Your brain needs to work overtime to process what it can hear, so you are more tired than normal. Your other senses might even begin to change. How much energy is left over for eyesight, for example, if your brain is spending so much of its energy trying to hear and understand words? If your most recent eye exam was normal, then the next thing to get tested is your ears.
8. Why can’t I hear this TV?
When you have to keep turning the volume up on your TV, it becomes all too easy to place the blame on your service provider or that out-dated TV. It can be difficult to hear the dialogue on your favorite shows when you have hearing loss. Dialogue is being muddled by background music and sound effects. There are other things like the room AC or ceiling fan to deal with. Your hearing might be failing if you constantly turn the volume up.
Fortunately, all it takes to know for certain is a professional hearing assessment and if it turns out your hearing is failing, hearing aids will help you get some of your hearing back.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment for a hearing test if you’ve experienced any of the above signs.
