Your hearing won’t be simply gone one day when you wake up. Hearing loss, particularly when it’s associated with aging, typically progresses in degrees. You might not detect it’s taking place immediately but some signs do appear earlier.
These early developing symptoms advance very discreetly. Delaying the progression of hearing loss and its related health problems is a matter of early detection. But if you are unaware of what the early symptoms are, you won’t be able to recognize if you have them. You might be developing hearing loss if you notice any of the following eight barely noticeable signs.
1. You hear some people just fine but not others
Maybe when you speak with your brother, you can hear him fine, but when your wife speaks, some words just seem to get lost. It’s a typical sign of sensorineural hearing loss or damage to the nerves that deliver electrical messages to the brain.
Her voice is higher in pitch, and that’s why it’s unclear. You may 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 don’t like to talk on the phone
When the phone rings you often make excuses for not picking it up:
- I’m simply not used to this brand new phone yet
- It’s probably just spam
Consider why you dread using your phone. It will be a useful 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. 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 lady on the TV news, the bartender, your neighbor, and your partner all seem like they are mumbling when they talk to you. If it seems like everyone in your life is mumbling, you’re probably dealing with hearing loss, because what is the probability of that? 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. What?
It may not be until somebody points out that you’re saying “what?” a lot that you recognize you are developing hearing loss. Frequently, the first people to detect you are developing hearing loss are the people you see every day, like family and coworkers. You should definitely 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 dismiss unless it’s distracting. 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. Perhaps, when you first wake up in the morning is when you have the most significant ringing or buzzing. Or a trauma, circulatory problems, or high blood pressure might be the cause.
It’s essential that you don’t disregard these tinnitus symptoms because it’s an indication that something may be wrong, so you should make an appointment right away to get an exam.
6. Meeting your friends at the neighborhood barbecue isn’t as fun
It’s no fun when it sounds as if that many individuals are mumbling at the same time. Also, being in loud places makes understanding what people say that much harder. Something as simple as children playing and splashing around in the pool or the sound of the AC kicking 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 fatigued
Battling to understand words is exhausting. You feel more tired than usual because your brain needs to work overtime to try and process what it’s trying to hear. You may even experience changes in your other senses. How much energy is left over for eyesight, for instance, if your brain is using so much of its energy attempting to hear and understand words? If your most recent eye test was good, then the next thing to get tested is your ears.
8. Why is this TV volume so low?
When you have to keep turning the volume on your TV up, it becomes all too easy to place the blame on your service provider or that out-dated TV. When you’re experiencing hearing loss it’s hard to hear dialog on your favorite shows. The background music and sound effects are befuddling dialogue, for example. How about the other stuff in the room like the AC or the ceiling fan? Your hearing might be failing if you constantly turn the volume up.
The good news is, all it takes to know for sure is a professional hearing exam and if it turns out your hearing is failing, hearing aids will help you get some of your hearing back.
If you notice any of the above signs of hearing loss, give us a call today to make an appointment.