It isn’t like you simply wake up one day, and your hearing is gone. For most people, hearing loss comes in degrees, particularly when it is linked to the aging process. Some indicators appear earlier, though, and you don’t recognize there is an issue right away.
The initial symptoms of progressive hearing loss are subtle. Identifying them sooner is crucial to slow down the progression of hearing loss or other health issues connected to aging. But if you don’t know what the early symptoms are, you won’t be capable of recognizing if you have them. You might be developing hearing loss if you identify any of the following eight barely detectable indicators.
1. Some voices you can’t hear very well, others you can
Maybe you can hear the cashier perfectly, but when your wife joins the conversation, everything gets muddled. It’s a typical sign that the nerves that send 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 have the same issue with your grandchild or daughter. 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
When the phone rings you are inclined to make excuses for not picking it up:
- I’m just not used to this new phone yet
- It’s most likely just spam
Contemplate why you dread talking on your phone. If you have the volume at max and can’t hear what is being said, let a friend test the phone for you. You probably have a hearing loss problem 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 only the kids who are mumbling when they talk, it’s your neighbor, the news lady, your spouse, and even your bartender. If it seems like everybody in your life is mumbling, you’re most likely dealing with hearing loss, because what is the likelihood of that? How you hear words is changing. Mumbling or dropped off consonants like “S” or “T” is one of the first indications that your hearing is changing.
4. What?
You may not even realize that you can’t hear conversations anymore until someone points out that you’re saying “What?” during conversations a lot. Very often the people you see every day like coworkers or family are the first to notice you are struggling to hear. You should definitely pay attention if someone says something.
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. A common 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 instance, maybe the ringing, buzzing, or roaring only manifests in the morning or when you are tired. Or, it could also be an indication of high blood pressure, circulatory issues, or trauma.
It’s important that you don’t ignore these tinnitus symptoms because it’s an indication that something could be wrong, so you should make an appointment right away to get checked out.
6. Meeting your friends at the neighborhood BBQ isn’t as enjoyable
Again, there are those people mumbling, and that’s not fun. It’s so much harder to understand what people are saying in loud places. It becomes extremely difficult for you to hear anything when you’re in the presence of something as simple as the AC turning on or children splashing and playing in the pool. And attempting to keep up with conversations is tedious.
7. You feel more fatigued than usual
It’s laborious when you struggle to understand words. You feel more fatigued than normal because your brain has to work harder to try and process what it’s trying to hear. Your other senses might 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 eyes have tested fine, now it’s time to have your hearing checked.
8. Why is this TV volume so low?
It is easy to blame your old TV or the service provider when you need to keep turning up the volume. When you’re experiencing hearing loss it’s difficult to follow along with dialog on your favorite shows. Dialogue is being jumbled by background music and sound effects. How about the other things in the room such as the AC or the ceiling fan? Your hearing could be failing if you constantly turn the volume up.
The good thing is, if your hearing is declining, hearing aids can help, you just need to get a hearing test.
Call us today to make an appointment for a hearing test if you’ve detected any of the above signs.