Hearing loss can be a consequence of numerous things and is generally extremely frustrating. While hearing loss is commonly caused by age or an injury, in some circumstances, hearing loss might be a symptom of a more serious root medical condition.
Watch out for these hearing loss red flags
There are a number of red flags that may be a sign of hearing loss and that it’s time to schedule a hearing test appointment. Here are a few of those red flags that should make you take notice.
Having difficulty hearing phone calls
You might be having a difficult time hearing phone calls even with the volume setting. If you are constantly turning 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.
Trouble making out conversations
Even though 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 frequently have trouble processing the conversation when two or more people are talking simultaneously.
Family & neighbors are complaining about a loud TV
It can be difficult to follow tv shows, particularly if music is combined with dialog. It’s worthwhile to recognize that cranking the tv up louder doesn’t always clear up the sound. But if you consistently need the tv turned up to a high volume that is unpleasant for other people in the room or if your neighbors can hear your television, it is time to get your hearing checked.
Trouble hearing in noisy environments
If you are in a public place and the background noise makes it hard to hear the other people with you, it usually means you struggle to mask background noise and tune into speech. Individuals who are developing hearing loss most commonly have this complaint.
You say “what” a lot
If somebody is mumbling a few feet from you and you’re unable to hear them, that doesn’t always mean you have hearing loss. However, if you say the word “what” more than any other word in your vocabulary, it may be a red flag that you aren’t getting sound signals clearly in order to process speech properly.
Failing to understand what people are saying
Misunderstanding what people are saying can be embarrassing and is frequently an indication of high frequency hearing loss. This means you are unable to discern the sounds of speech.
Contact us for a hearing exam as soon as you can if you are experiencing any of the above red flags. The good news is, hearing testing is simple and the stigma of hearing loss is a thing of the past so there’s no reason to continue to have difficulty hearing.
