You might think that you would know if you have hearing loss, but that isn’t always the case. Hearing loss almost always happens slowly, over time. This can make it difficult to recognize right away.
Other than having a hearing assessment, you can sometimes tell if someone is suffering from a hearing impairment based on certain signs or clues about your lifestyle. Today, we’re exploring 5 signs of hearing loss that you should be aware of.
5 Signs of Hearing Loss
If you are concerned that hearing loss might be a factor for you or a loved one, consider these 5 signs.
Changes in Social Behavior
Hearing loss can make communication more challenging. When it becomes difficult to hear and communicate with others, the initial reaction is often to withdraw from social situations entirely. While avoiding social gatherings might bring on a feeling of comfort in the beginning, it can lead to isolation and depression over time. If you notice changes in social behavior in a loved one,
Turning up the Volume
Do you find yourself regularly turning up the volume beyond the level that everyone else listens to? This can be a key indicator of hearing loss. In line with this, if you find yourself repeatedly missing phone calls or people knocking at your door, these could be signs of hearing loss.
Changes in Listening Habits
In addition to changing social behavior, you might recognize a change in everyday listening behaviors. You may notice that speech becomes more difficult to understand. This may be particularly evident with certain consonants, or with softer spoken individuals. To help compensate, you may focus more on non-auditory cues, like reading lips. If you find yourself trying to read lips and especially struggling in places with ambient or background noise, these could all point to a potential hearing loss.
Regular Exposure to Loud Noise
Regular exposure to loud noise can lead to noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). Noisy environments could include concerts, sporting events, certain sports and recreation, and more. If you use loud power tools or have a loud work environment, these could also be contributing risk factors to NIHL. If you’re regularly exposed to loud noise and don’t use hearing protection, you may have NIHL.
Changes in Health or Medications
Certain medications or health conditions can cause hearing loss. Whenever we schedule an appointment for a hearing assessment, we also ask you to bring a list of your current and past medications along with your medical history. These can help us determine if your hearing loss is due to a symptom or a side effect of other health issues you are dealing with.
If any of the above sounds familiar, we recommend that you speak to your local hearing specialist. They will be able to offer you a quick hearing assessment to determine your baseline hearing and next steps
Need Help? Contact Us Today!
If you’d like to discuss further, come in and meet the team at REM Audiology. Call us today on (888) 710-5734. Alternatively, click here to contact us online.