A little over 5% of the world’s population suffers from hearing loss to some degree. That’s millions of people!
There are many things that can cause a person’s hearing to go. Chronic disease and smoking are two of the most common risk factors.
The question is, how do you cope with your condition? There’s nothing worse than missing out on family functions because you can’t hear.
It starts with understanding the early signs of hearing loss in adults. From there, you can sit down with your doctor and come up with a treatment plan.
Check out this guide to get started with taking your life back from the many different types of hearing loss.
High-Pitched Noises Sound Muffled
As you get older, the cells in the inner ear that are in charge of helping you hear high-pitched noises begin to go. When that happens, you’ll find that it will be more difficult for you to carry on conversations with women and children. Their higher voices will be too much for your ears to process.
It’s not just voices. You won’t be able to tell when the microwave finishes heating your food. No longer will you hear the birds singing or crickets chirping after the sun goes down.
You’ll also struggle with hearing high-frequency letters. What that means is it will be harder for you to make out consonants. The word “show” will be indistinguishable from the word “throw,” for example.
It’s Hard to Hear in Crowded Spaces
As you walk through the mall, you may find that it’s hard to make out all the voices around you. This is especially true if you’re having trouble detecting high-pitched sounds.
The dull background music at the restaurants and stores will be loud enough to drown out people’s voices.
You Find Yourself Watching People’s Lips
If it’s hard for you to hear people speak, your brain will start to rely on your sight. You’ll begin reading lips without even realizing that you’re doing it.
The problem with that is you won’t be able to keep eye contact with anyone you’re talking to. Eye contact is one of the most crucial aspects of a conversation. It shows the other person that you’re paying attention to them.
Social Situations Are Exhausting
When you’re hard of hearing, your brain has to work overtime to try and process all the sounds going on around you. It will take a great deal of focus to stay alert during conversations.
After a long period of this, you’ll start to feel exhausted. Skipping out on family functions and outings will be an attractive idea.
Your Ears Feel Clogged
If you’ve got a lot of fluid or wax buildup in your ears, everything around you will sound muffled because your ears are clogged. This sensation is also one of the first signs of hearing loss, so it’s a good idea to go to your doctor.
If your regular physician tells you that your ears are all clear, it’s time for you to have a hearing test done.
Your Ears Frequently Ring
Did you know that the annoying ringing sound in your ear has a name? It’s called tinnitus, and it’s more than just frustrating. It’s also one of the early signs of hearing loss.
It’s believed that the high-frequency ringing is your mind’s way of filling in sound gaps. This condition is associated with both age-related and noise-related hearing loss.
You’ve Got Your TV on Full Blast
For those with hearing loss, watching TV can be a complicated process. It throws a huge mixture of music, dialog, and background noise at the listener.
If you have an issue with hearing high frequencies, the music and background noise will completely drown out the dialog. If your loved ones complain about you keeping the TV on full blast, you should consider getting tested for cookie bite hearing loss.
Everyone Is Mumbling
Do you find yourself asking people to repeat themselves in conversations? Do you complain that everyone around you is mumbling?
Chances are, the problem isn’t with your conversation partners. It’s your ears.
Talking on the Phone Is a Struggle
It’s okay to have issues hearing on the phone now and again. Calls can break up.
If you have problems understanding callers every day, however, that’s different. You may be experiencing one of the many signs of hearing loss.
Other People Tell You That You Have Hearing Loss
If your friends and family joke about you being hard of hearing all the time, that’s a bit concerning. Even if they aren’t being serious, their words are getting lost in translation during conversations with you enough that it’s a running gag.
It’s at least something that you should consider looking into. Your loved ones might be exaggerating, or they could be right on the money. You might as well get a second opinion from your doctor.
Understanding the Early Signs of Hearing Loss in Adults
Do you find that it’s hard to carry on a conversation with your loved ones? Are you tired of missing out on family events because you can’t hear? You may be experiencing the early signs of hearing loss in adults.
The best thing you can do when you start to notice these symptoms is to get a jump on it by taking a hearing test. Talk to your doctor today, and for more tips that will help you take care of your ears, visit the Misc section of our blog.