Your hearing won’t be just gone one day when you wake up. Hearing loss, particularly when it’s associated with aging, typically progresses in degrees. Some signs show up earlier, though, and you don’t realize there is a problem right away.
The early symptoms of progressive hearing loss are discrete. Slowing down the progression of hearing loss and its related health problems is a matter of early detection. However, you can’t detect the signs if you don’t know what they are. You may 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
Perhaps you can hear the cashier perfectly, but when your wife chimes in on the conversation, everything gets messed up. It’s a common sign of sensorineural hearing loss or damage to the nerves that distribute electrical signals to the brain.
Her voice is a higher pitch, and that’s why it isn’t as clear. You may 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
When the phone rings you are inclined to make excuses for not picking it up:
- It’s probably just spam
- It’s a new phone, and I’m simply not used to it yet
Contemplate why you dislike talking on your phone. If you have the volume all the way up and can’t understand what is being said, let a friend test the phone for you. If they can hear the conversation and you can’t, your ears are likely the issue.
3. Why does everyone mumble these days?
It used to be just the kids, but as of late, the lady on the TV news, the bartender, your neighbor, and your partner all seem like they are mumbling when they talk to you. It’s hard to imagine that everyone in your life suddenly has bad enunciation so this is a good indication of hearing decline. You’re not hearing words the same as you once did. Mumbling or dropped off consonants like “S” or “T” is one of the initial signs that your hearing is changing.
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 detect you are struggling to hear. You should definitely pay attention if someone says something.
5. Why do I hear ringing sounds in my ears?
Okay, this isn’t exactly a subtle indication, but it is something people tend to ignore unless it’s distracting. A common sign of hearing loss is a ringing in the ears, known as tinnitus.
Tinnitus can also be intermittent because triggers are a significant factor. Maybe, when you first get up in the morning is when you have the most pronounced ringing or buzzing. Or a trauma, circulatory issues, or high blood pressure may be the cause.
It’s crucial that you don’t disregard these tinnitus symptoms because it’s a sign that something may be wrong, so you should schedule an appointment right away to get checked out.
6. It’s not as enjoyable attending the neighborhood block party
It’s no fun when it sounds as if that many people are mumbling all at once. Also, being in loud places makes understanding what individuals say that much harder. Something as simple 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 keep up with conversations.
7. You’re normally not this exhausted
Struggling to understand words is draining. You feel more fatigued than usual because your brain needs to work overtime to try and interpret what it’s trying to hear. Your other senses might even start to change. If your brain is using 110 percent of its time and energy to understand words, what’s left for your eyesight or balance? If your most recent eye test was normal, then the next thing to get tested is your ears.
8. Why can’t I hear this TV?
When you have to constantly turn the volume up on your TV, it becomes all too easy to blame your service provider or that out-dated TV. It can be difficult to follow the dialogue on your favorite shows when you have hearing loss. The background music and sound effects are befuddling dialogue, for example. There are other things such as the room AC or ceiling fan to deal with. Your hearing could be failing if you constantly turn the volume up.
Fortunately, all it takes to know for sure is a professional hearing exam and if you find out your hearing is declining, hearing aids will help you get back to normal.
Call us today to schedule an appointment for a hearing test if you’ve experienced any of the above signs.