5 Signs You Have Hearing Loss

Hearing loss may occur to anyone, at any age. Approximately 48 million Americans experience some degree of hearing loss, with 60% of people in the workforce affected. In some cases, hearing loss occurs immediately after exposure to dangerous levels of sound, while in others, it appears gradually over many years. On average, audiologists estimate that a person waits seven years from the time they begin to experience symptoms of hearing loss until they decide to seek treatment.

If you are experiencing any of these five signs of hearing loss, consider seeking treatment sooner rather than later. Seeking treatment for hearing loss at the first signs proves beneficial to your physical and emotional health, as well as your earning power.

1. Higher volumes – Often times, people do not notice right away that they’ve been turning up volumes on their devices. Your family and friends may have noted the loud volume while watching TV with you, or they’ve had to turn the volume down on the car stereo. With hearing loss, sound waves may not be conducted and received properly by your auditory system. If you’ve found that you’re cranking up the volume on your phone, radio, and home entertainment system in order to hear, you may be experiencing hearing loss. Seeking treatment, often in the form of a hearing aid, helps with this process.
2. Muffled sounds – With hearing loss, sounds may cut in and out. Some volumes and frequencies may be difficult with hearing loss. In some instances, hearing loss is accompanied by tinnitus, a condition in which you hear ringing, buzzing, whistling, clicking, etc. in addition to a difficulty hearing the sounds around you. These noises may be distracting. If you are experiencing these symptoms, consider scheduling a hearing test. An audiologist will be able to determine your hearing ability and offer insight on treatments to elucidate the sounds you hear.
3. Speech recognition – Maybe it sounds like everyone is mumbling, and perhaps you find yourself asking people to repeat themselves often. Difficulty with speech recognition is one of the main symptoms of hearing loss. You may mistake one word for another, or find yourself misunderstanding what people say. Conversations may be difficult to follow, especially when there are multiple people speaking in louder settings, where their voices are competing with background noise. If you find yourself saying, “What?” often, it is time to visit an audiologist.
4. Avoiding social settings – Because conversations become difficult to follow with hearing loss, interacting with your friends and family may become frustrating. You may find yourself less engaged when in a social setting, and maybe you are declining invitations more often. Hearing loss can be socially isolating when it is difficult to follow conversations, especially in louder spaces. If your loved ones have brought to your attention that you’ve been less social these days, take note.
5. Changes in mood – Hearing loss has the potential to take a toll on your emotional state. When conversations and socializing become difficult, you may find yourself frustrated, anxious, and stressed. Withdrawing from the activity of your daily life may lead to feelings of depression. Seeking treatment for hearing loss early on often benefits a person’s mental health by keeping them engaged with their life and loved ones.

 If you, or someone close to you is experiencing signs of hearing loss – please give us a call to schedule a hearing test with one of our experienced audiologists.