There are many different causes of hearing loss and even different types of hearing loss. Seeing an audiologist can help diagnosis and treat potential hearing concerns. Hearing loss can occur so gradually that often times individuals are not aware of the severity of the loss.
Like any medical condition, the sooner you address the hearing loss the better treatment outcome you will have. If you suspect you or a loved one is suffering from hearing loss, contact Hudson Physicians today at 715-531-6800 to schedule a comprehensive hearing evaluation.
The following are 10 common signs that you may have hearing loss.
10 Signs You May Have Hearing Loss
- You have trouble hearing people talking on the telephone. Most phones come with a volume control setting, so you might not have trouble hearing your friend, co-worker, client or friend because you’ve amped the telephone to the max. Check the volume setting on the telephone receiver. If it’s at max volume, chances are you, or someone at home or in the office has hearing loss and needs to see a hearing professional.
- You have trouble following a conversation when people are talking at the same time. Because our ability to process multiple incoming and competing signals also deteriorates over time, being a little lost in conversation isn't always a sign of hearing loss. However, let’s say you’re at a work meeting or eating dinner with the family; when two or more people talk at the same time, do you have a hard time keeping up? If so, you may be suffering from hearing loss.
- The family complains that the TV is too loud. If this isn’t a sign of hearing loss, nothing is. When your kids or significant other complain that the TV is too loud, you probably have a hearing problem. If you think this might only be an issue for older generations, think again. The fact is, hearing professionals are seeing younger and younger patients – teens and young adults in their 20s – who have experienced some degree of hearing loss due to long-term exposure to music.
- You strain to hear conversations. Ever have a headache at the end of the day? Feel completely exhausted after a simple day of conversing with coworkers, friends or family? Chances are this fatigue is caused by constant straining to follow the conversation. Having to focus all day to clearly hear conversation is exhausting work and can lead to additional maladies such as headaches, fatigue and exhaustion. Hearing aids will help you stay in the game and feel better at the end of the day.
- You have trouble hearing in noisy environments. You’re with some friends at the new restaurant in town. It’s noisy, just like any busy eatery. And all that background noise makes it difficult to hear the folks at your table. People with hearing loss often have problems masking out background noise. Good news. Today’s hearing aids – even the entry-level variety – come with directional microphones and digital noise reduction. Directional mics pick up sound in front while reducing the cacophony of ambient noise surrounding you.
- You say ‘What?’ a lot. More than a couple of times a day. Just because you didn’t hear a mumbling co-worker from 10 feet away doesn’t mean you have a hearing loss. However, if “what?” is the most commonly used word in your vocabulary, you aren’t getting the sound signals you need to process sound correctly, resulting in hearing loss.
- People don’t speak clearly. Speaking of mumbling, if everyone around you sounds like the teacher from Charlie Brown, chances are you're suffering from hearing loss. If it sounds like you’ve got cotton in your ears, you aren’t picking up the full range of sound – from high notes to low – making noise sound like mumbling to you.
- You misunderstand what people say. “You want me to eat a frog?” “No, Fred, I said, ‘See the fog’." Misunderstanding people can be embarrassing, but it doesn't have to be that way. A pair of hearing aids can enable you to understand conversation and avoid the awkwardness of mishearing important directions, the punch line to a joke or the lyrics to your favorite song.
- You have trouble hearing children and women. As previously discussed, hearing loss within a specific frequency is pretty common and with age, you’re more likely to experience hearing loss within the higher frequencies. Since women and children speak at higher pitches or frequencies, it’s often more difficult to hear what your granddaughter or wife is saying to you than when your best friend with a big, booming, deep voice speaks to you.
- You become annoyed at others because you can’t understand what they say. It can be easy to get frustrated and annoyed at those around you when you cannot hear what they're saying. Try to remember, you’re not annoyed at the speaker; you’re really annoyed that you can’t hear the speaker as well as you once did. The feelings of frustration are normal and understandable. Hearing loss isn’t just about the ears. Loss of hearing is associated with depression, anxiety, isolation and other emotional disorders. By calling to make an appointment with our audiologist, you may be able to lead a happier, healthier life —simply by being able to hear more clearly!
If you recognize more than a few of these symptoms, chances are, you may have some degree of hearing loss.
No need to fear; hearing loss with age is common and can easily be identified and treated. Call us at 715-531-6800 and we can get you scheduled for a comprehensive hearing evaluation.
