Signs of hearing loss
How to detect hearing loss
What are the signs and symptoms of hearing loss?
Our ears are always on, just like the sounds around us. Cell phones ringing, people chatting, dogs barking, traffic rumbling, birds chirping — there’s so much going on. Our brain allows us to identify and interpret different sounds and to focus on what we want to hear. It can instantly recognize the voice of a loved one, or allows you to quietly read a book without recognizing the background sounds.
But sometimes, it doesn’t work that way. Sometimes, our brain can’t identify a sound because our ears can’t hear it to begin with!
Are you aware of the sounds that you can’t hear?
Signs of hearing loss
Hearing loss doesn’t simply mean that someone has trouble hearing soft sounds. Rather, it is more common, especially in age-related hearing loss, that the ability to hear high pitched sounds is affected first. For example, the first sounds that someone may not be able to hear so well are the chirping of birds and female or children’s voices. Hearing loss also diminishes the ability to hear certain consonants in speech, which can make it difficult for the person with hearing loss to follow conversations. Depending on the cause and type of hearing loss, it is also possible to experience difficulties hearing mid- or even low- frequencies, or evenly across all frequencies. Another sign of hearing loss could be Tinnitus
It’s a sign
The following questions will help you to understand whether you show symptoms of hearing loss:
- Do people seem to be mumbling?
- Do you have to turn up the volume on the TV or radio?
- Do you find it easier to understand a man’s voice compared to a woman’s or a child’s voice?
- Do you find it difficult to hear the doorbell or the telephone ring?
- When you are in a group or in a crowded restaurant, is it difficult for you to follow the conversation?
- Do you tend to limit your social activities because it’s difficult to hear and communicate?
- Has somebody close to you mentioned that you may have a problem with your hearing?
If you’ve answered ‘yes‘ to one or more of the questions, we advise that you have your hearing ability evaluated by a hearing care professional. You can find a certified audiologist, hearing care professional or clinic in your area with our expert finder.
To immediately get an indication of your hearing ability you can also try our online hearing test.
Find out why hearing well is so important to your well-being
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