Hearing loss can be a consequence of numerous things and is usually incredibly aggravating. While hearing loss is usually due to age or an injury, in some situations, hearing loss might be a symptom of a more severe root medical condition.
Watch out for these hearing loss red flags
There are a number of red flags that might be a sign of hearing loss and that it’s time to schedule a hearing test appointment. Here are some of those red flags that should make you take notice.
Difficulties hearing on the phone
Even with a volume control setting, you may find it difficult to hear the individual you are talking to on the telephone. You should call us for a hearing test if you find yourself continuously cranking up the volume on your phone.
Difficulty making out conversations
Although getting lost when you’re having a conversation isn’t always a sign of hearing loss, it might be a sign of hearing loss if you frequently have a hard time processing the conversation when two or more people are talking at the same time.
People around you are complaining about the increasing volume of your TV
It can be challenging to follow television programs, particularly if music is combined with dialog. We need to understand that the sound doesn’t automatically get clearer when you turn up the volume. But it’s time to have your hearing checked if your neighbors can hear your TV or if you constantly need the volume on a really loud setting.
Trouble hearing in noisy settings
If you are in a public location and the background sound makes it difficult to hear the others with you, it generally means you struggle to mask background noise and tune into speech. Individuals who are developing hearing loss most frequently have this complaint.
You say “what” frequently
If somebody is mumbling a few feet from you and you can’t hear them, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have hearing loss. Still, it may be a red flag that you aren’t receiving and processing speech correctly if the word “what” is the most used word in your vocabulary.
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 distinguish speech.
If you are noticing any of the above red flags, you should schedule a hearing exam as soon as you can. 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 keep having trouble hearing.