Your last family dinner was frustrating. It wasn’t because of family drama (this time). No, the issue was that you couldn’t hear anything over the boisterous noise of the room. So you didn’t get the opportunity to ask about Dave’s new cat or Sally’s new job. It was frustrating. For the most part, you blame the acoustics. But you can’t totally discount the idea that maybe your hearing is beginning to go bad.
It can be extremely difficult to self-diagnose hearing loss (that’s why, generally, it’s not suggested). But there are some early warning signs you should watch for. When enough red flags appear, it’s time to make an appointment with us for a hearing test.
Early signs of hearing impairment
Most of the symptoms of hearing loss are subtle. But you might be experiencing hearing loss if you can connect with any of the items on this list.
Here are some of the most common early signs of hearing loss:
- Normal sounds seem unbearably loud. It’s one of the more unusual early warning signs associated with hearing loss, but hyperacusis is common enough that you may find yourself encountering its symptoms. If you are having this issue, especially if it lingers, it’s time for a hearing exam.
- Specific words are hard to understand. This symptom happens when consonants become hard to hear and differentiate. Usually, it’s the sh- and th- sounds that are muffled. In some cases, it’s the s- and f-sounds or p- and t-sounds that get lost.
- When you’re in a busy noisy place, you have trouble hearing conversations. This is frequently an early indication of hearing loss.
- Your ears are ringing: Ringing in your ears is known as tinnitus (and, technically, tinnitus can be other noises too: screeching, buzzing, humming, thumping, and so on). If you have ringing or other chronic noises in your ears, a hearing test is your best bet because tinnitus, though it’s frequently an early warning of hearing impairment, can also indicate other health problems.
- High-pitched sounds are hard to hear. Perhaps you just realized your teapot was screeching after five minutes. Or maybe, you never even notice the doorbell ringing. Hearing loss generally impacts particular frequencies normally higher pitched frequencies.
- You’re suddenly finding it hard to hear when you’re talking on the phone: Texting is popular these days, so you might not take as many phone calls as you used to. But you may be experiencing another early warning sign if you’re having difficulty understanding the calls you do take.
- You frequently need people to repeat what they said. If you find yourself asking numerous people to talk slower, talk louder, or repeat what they said, this is particularly true. This early sign of hearing impairment could be happening without you even noticing.
- A friend notices that your media devices are getting progressively louder. Perhaps you keep turning the volume up on your cell phone. Or perhaps, you have your TV volume turned up to max. Typically, it’s a family member or a friend that points out the loud volumes.
Next up: Take a test
No matter how many of these early red flags you may encounter, there’s really only one way to know, with certainty, whether your hearing is diminishing: get a hearing exam.
You may be dealing with hearing loss if you are experiencing any one of these symptoms. A hearing assessment will be able to reveal what level of impairment, if any, exists. And then you’ll be better prepared to find the best treatment.
This means your next family get-together can be much more fun.
