Hearing loss can be brought on by numerous things and is generally very aggravating. There are some situations where hearing loss is caused by a more serious underlying health condition and isn’t merely the result of an injury or aging.
These are some hearing loss red flags you should watch for
There are varieties of red flags that might be a sign of hearing loss and that it’s time to schedule a hearing assessment appointment. Pay attention if any of these red flags manifest.
Having trouble hearing phone calls
Even with a volume control setting, you might find it difficult to hear the individual you are talking to on the telephone. If you are continually cranking the volume up louder and louder on your cell phone or landline, you should schedule an appointment as soon as you can for a hearing assessment.
Difficulty following conversations
Although getting lost when you’re having a conversation isn’t always a sign of hearing loss, it may be a sign of hearing loss if you regularly have difficulty processing the conversation when two or more individuals are talking simultaneously.
People around you are complaining about the rising volume of your TV
It can be a challenge to hear tv shows, especially if music is combined with dialog. We need to recognize that the sound doesn’t necessarily get clearer when you turn the volume up. But it’s time to have your hearing examined if your neighbors can hear your TV or if you constantly need the volume on a really high setting.
Trouble hearing in noisy environments
If you are in a public location and the background noise makes it difficult to hear the others with you, it typically means you struggle to mask background noise and focus on speech. People who are developing hearing loss most commonly have this complaint.
You keep asking people what they said
Simply because you aren’t able to hear someone mumbling several feet away doesn’t mean you have hearing loss. However, if you say the word “what” more than any other word in your vocabulary, it might be a red flag that you aren’t getting sound signals clearly in order to process speech correctly.
Failing to understand what people say
It can be an indication of high frequency hearing loss, often an embarrassing one, if you regularly misunderstand what people are saying. This form of hearing loss makes it challenging to discern speech.
If you are noticing any of the above red flags, you should schedule a hearing exam 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.
