For most people, hearing loss develops gradually. It’s unlikely that you will wake up one morning and realize that you are having a hard time hearing. Instead, the symptoms can start to sneak in, and many of these subtle signs go unnoticed.
Even if the signs of hearing loss are minor, they shouldn’t go unnoticed. It’s important that people of all ages know these unusual symptoms so they can identify potential hearing loss in themselves and/or their loved ones.
If the environment around you is loud, then it becomes harder to understand what other people are saying. A person with mild or moderate hearing loss might have difficulty understanding conversations in these settings – which might be one of the first red flags that something is happening with their hearing.
Why is this something to watch for? If there are a lot of background noises, then high-frequency sounds in the conversation can be masked. As a result, it is harder for someone with hearing loss to distinguish words that are being said by other people in the group.
How often do you find yourself asking someone else to repeat what they said? A constant need for repetition could be an indication of potential hearing loss.
This type of conversational pattern often goes unnoticed. For example, asking someone to repeat themselves could be mistaken for a simple distraction. But the reality is that it could be hearing loss that is impacting your ability to understand what the other person is saying.
You might find that friends and family are often commenting about how you always have the volume too high. If you are often turning up the volume on the TV, your phone, or the radio, then it could be a sign that you are starting to lose your hearing.
Or, you might notice that you always need to turn on closed captions because you have a hard time understanding the conversations or music without having written text as well.
When someone starts to lose their hearing, it’s common for sounds in the high-pitched range to be lost first. For example, you might find it difficult to hear children talking, or you don’t hear the sounds of birds chirping.
This sign is most common when you are experiencing age-related hearing loss. When you are losing the high pitches, then it’s time to call our team for a hearing test.
How often do you feel irritated because you can hear a buzzing or ringing in your ears? These sensations could be a symptom of tinnitus, which could be because of underlying hearing damage.
The truth is that tinnitus can be caused by various things, and it is not always related to hearing loss. But if you are experiencing tinnitus, then it’s best to consult with an audiologist to see if hearing loss is a contributing factor.
Hearing loss can cause misunderstandings with your friends and family. For example, you might find yourself in awkward social situations because you missed information in the conversation. You might misinterpret sounds or words that are spoken.
This is another symptom that might not be noticeable in the beginning. Often, it presents itself as confusion during the conversation.
If you have hearing loss, then extra effort is required to stay engaged during conversations and social activities. As a result, compromised hearing can lead to mental exhaustion.
So, when you find yourself feeling mentally fatigued after these conversations or social events, then it could be a sign that your brain is working harder during the interactions. Your brain is in overdrive, trying to process the unclear sounds and speech that is coming through.
When a person is often feeling exhausted after a social event, then it decreases the likelihood they will want to participate in these types of events again in the future. Someone might start withdrawing from social gatherings without realizing that hearing loss could be an undetected underlying cause. You might prefer to stay home instead of experiencing the fatigue or embarrassment that can occur during a social interaction.
These feelings can contribute to anxiety or isolation, which has a domino effect on many aspects of a person’s life. There’s no question that improving hearing can be an important step to helping you establish healthy relationships and enjoy social interactions.
How easily can you understand a conversation if you aren’t looking at the person? If someone is behind you and it’s difficult to understand what they are saying, then it’s possible that you might be relying on lip reading and other body language clues to keep up with the conversation.
While lip reading can be a valuable resource for hearing loss, you shouldn’t rely on this completely when hearing assistance is available. Pay attention to how you are picking up information in a conversation. If you can only understand when you can see someone’s mouth, then it could be an indicator that you have hearing loss and need a hearing test.
This warning sign is a habit that is often developed subconsciously as a way to compensate for hearing loss.
There’s no question that recognizing and addressing hearing loss in the earliest stages is the best thing that you can do. The earlier you uncover these problems, the better you can avoid negative consequences in every aspect of your life.
So, if you notice any of these signs in yourself or a loved one, then it’s time for a professional hearing test. Our team is here to help you identify the silent symptoms and determine whether you need hearing devices.
If you are ready for more information, then contact our team at Fairfax Hearing Center. We are always here to help!
