Exploring the Symptoms of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss can affect anyone at any point in their lifetime. Since it is usually a gradual process, you may not even notice that you have hearing loss until significant damage has occurred. This is why it is important to become aware of some of the common signs of hearing loss that affect most people.

One of the most basic symptoms of hearing loss is the presence of tinnitus. In more cases than not, tinnitus is a sign of underlying hearing loss. Think about the ringing or buzzing sound in your ears. If it is constantly present and persistent to the point where it disrupts your daily life, it may be time to get your hearing tested.

More often than not, tinnitus is a symptom of some other form of underlying disease and should not be ignored at any cost. Apart from hearing loss, other health problems like hypertension, circulatory disorders, and physical trauma may result in tinnitus. It is best to seek medical intervention in case you have persistent tinnitus.

You may find yourself being reluctant to take phone calls and make subtle excuses to refrain from making phone calls. You may make jokes like “my phone is way too old!” or “I drop my phone a lot” to account for your inability to hear people when they speak to you over the phone.

Sounds coming from your phone may seem too low in volume or may seem muffled and unclear. Genuine phone issues aside, these symptoms can also be signs of hearing loss. If in doubt, have someone else use your phone to see whether they are facing the same problems as you. If not, your hearing may be the culprit.

Hearing loss is often mistaken for complete absence in hearing. In reality, hearing loss often starts off with muffled sounds. If you feel like everyone around you is mumbling, it may be a sign of hearing loss. You may hear sounds when others talk, but may have trouble making out some words or stringing words together to make sense of what is being said. You may find yourself asking others to speak more clearly or speak up, but even when they do, you find that it makes no difference. If so, you may have hearing loss.

One of the most notorious symptoms of hearing loss is asking someone to constantly repeat what they just said. This too, is a symptom that you may have hearing loss.

Hearing loss does not affect your ability to hear across the board. You may actually be able to hear some voices very clearly, such as the deep voices of men, while others may seem muffled and unclear, such as the high pitched voices of your smaller grandchildren. Having hearing loss in higher range frequencies is the most common type of hearing loss.

You may slowly lose interest in going out of the house since you are afraid to have more muffled conversations. Social withdrawal and isolation is a common symptom of hearing loss, so if you find yourself reluctant to go to social gatherings and parties that you used to enjoy before, ask yourself whether it is really the company you are avoiding or the fact that you cannot hear what is being said during these events.

Hearing loss is exhausting, so if you find yourself absolutely tired at the end of the day without even exerting yourself, you may have a hearing difficulty. With hearing loss, your brain exerts 110% of effort just to make sense of the limited sound signals it obtains, which can be causing your fatigue.

If you have trouble hearing the radio or the television and need to increase the volume constantly, you may have hearing loss. If your family complains that your volume is too loud, that too can indicate that you have hearing loss.

If any or all of the symptoms above sounded familiar, it is time to get your hearing tested. Early intervention provides the most promising results with hearing loss. Hearing aids can really help improve your quality of life and help you get back on track to live the life you truly deserve.