Hearing loss can be caused by many things and is usually incredibly frustrating. Although hearing loss is often due to age or an injury, in some situations, hearing loss may be a symptom of a more severe root medical issue.
These are some hearing loss red flags you should look for
There are a number of red flags that may be an indication of hearing loss and that it’s time to schedule a hearing test appointment. Pay attention if any of these red flags manifest.
Difficulties hearing on the telephone
You may be having a difficult time hearing phone calls even with the volume setting. If you are continually turning the volume up louder and louder on your cell phone or landline, you need to make an appointment as soon as you can for a hearing assessment.
Difficulty making out conversations
Sometimes, we get lost during conversations even when our hearing is normal, but if it happens often, especially when more than two people are talking, it’s likely an indication of hearing loss.
People around you are complaining about the increasing volume of your TV
Following along with tv shows, particularly when there’s music and dialog, can be difficult. It’s important to know that cranking the television up louder doesn’t always make the sound clearer. But it’s time to get your hearing assessed if your neighbors can hear your TV or if you continuously need the volume on a very high setting.
Difficulty hearing in noisy settings
It usually means you’re struggling to distinguish speech from background sound if hearing in a public place has become challenging. Individuals who are going through hearing loss most commonly have this complaint.
You keep asking people what they said
Just because you aren’t able to hear someone mumbling several feet away doesn’t mean you have hearing loss. Still, if you say the word “what” more than any other word in your vocabulary, it might be a red flag that you aren’t receiving sound signals clearly in order to process speech properly.
Failing to understand what people are saying
It can be an indication of high frequency hearing loss, often an awkward one, if you regularly misunderstand what people are saying. This means you are unable to discern the sounds of speech.
If you are experiencing any of the above red flags, you should schedule a hearing test as soon as possible. Here’s the good news, hearing testing is simple and the stigma of hearing loss is a thing of the past so there’s no reason to keep having difficulty hearing.
