Your hearing won’t be simply gone one day when you wake up. Hearing loss, particularly when it’s associated with aging, generally progresses in degrees. You might not realize it’s occurring immediately but some signs do show up earlier.
These early developing symptoms progress very discreetly. Slowing down the progression of hearing loss and its related health challenges is a matter of early detection. But if you don’t know what the early symptoms are, you won’t be capable of recognizing if you have them. You may be developing hearing loss if you notice any of the following eight barely detectable signs.
1. You hear some people perfectly fine but not others
Maybe when you speak with your brother, you can understand him fine, but when your wife talks, some words just seem to get lost. It’s a typical sign that the nerves that send signals to the brain are damaged (called sensorineural hearing loss).
Her voice is higher in pitch, and that’s why it’s unclear. You might not be capable of hearing your daughter or grandchild very well for the same reason. 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 most likely just spam
- It’s a new phone, and I’m just not used to it yet
You dread talking on the phone, but why? If you have the volume at max and can’t hear what is being said, let someone else 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 is everybody mumbling?
It used to be just the kids, but lately, the lady on the TV news, the bartender, your neighbor, and your spouse all seem like they are mumbling when they speak with you. 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? You’re not hearing words the same as you once did. Mumbling or lost consonants like “S” or “T” is one of the initial indications that your hearing is changing.
4. What?
It might not be until someone points out that you’re saying “what?” a lot that you realize you are developing hearing loss. Frequently, the first people to detect you are developing hearing loss are the people you see on a daily basis, like family and coworkers. If someone comments on it, you should pay attention.
5. What’s that ringing in my ears?
This sign is a bit more obvious, but unless it becomes a disruption, people tend to disregard it. Tinnitus, the medical term for the ringing or buzzing in the ear, is a common symptom of hearing loss.
Triggers are a substantial factor in tinnitus so it can be periodic, too. Maybe, when you first wake up in the morning is when you have the most noticeable ringing or buzzing. Or, it could also be a sign of high blood pressure, circulatory problems, or trauma.
It’s important that you don’t ignore these tinnitus symptoms because it’s an indication that something might be wrong, so you should schedule an appointment right away to get checked out.
6. Joining your friends at the neighborhood barbecue isn’t as fun
It’s no fun when it sounds like that many people are mumbling at the same time. It’s so much harder to make out what people are saying in loud settings. Something as basic as kids playing and splashing around in the pool or the sound of the AC coming on you makes it impossible to hear anything. And trying to focus in on conversations is tedious.
7. You’re normally not this fatigued
Struggling to understand words is exhausting. You feel more tired than normal because your brain needs to work overtime to try and process what it’s attempting to hear. You might even experience changes in your other senses. 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 assessed.
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 old TV. When you have hearing loss it’s difficult to hear dialog on your favorite shows. The background music and sound effects are befuddling dialogue, for example. What 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.
Contact us today to make an appointment for a hearing test if you’ve experienced any of the above signs.
