Listen up!
OK, turn down the TV for a minute if you have to, and listen up. Hearing loss isn’t just for older folks. It’s something that can happen to anyone. In fact, recent studies from 2010 have shown that roughly 25% of teenagers out there have a hearing loss as well. Now, with that said, this article is going to lay out the top seven signs to look for. Let’s begin.
#1: Clear background noise is disappearing
Envision you’re at a restaurant with a friend. You lean in to hear them and you can pick up what they’re saying, but without noticing it, you really can’t hear anything else going on around you. A waiter drops some dishes in the kitchen and, while most people’s heads turn, you haven’t a clue what happened. Or worse yet, you can pick up sound in background, but everything is completely distorted into one uncomfortable mass of sound. You can’t pick up anything specific even if you try.
#2: You use the words “Huh?” and “What?” too often
Has it become a really annoying habit? Are people close to you so used to it that they don’t even get annoyed anymore but expect it? If almost every single time someone says something to you (outside of direct conversation) the word “Huh?” comes out of your mouth, this is a clear sign that something is amiss.
#3: You’ve reverted to lip reading
Hearing loss is typically very gradual, like sight, and most folks haven’t a clue what’s going on until things have progressed rather far. Do you find yourself reading lips, body language, hand signals, and intonation rather than trying to hear what people are actually saying? Now, how about when you’re on the phone when those things aren’t possible?
#4: Your TV shakes the floorboards
This is incredibly common. Do people complain that when you’re given the remote control, the first thing you do is turn up the volume to a point where they think it’s overbearing but you think it’s just right? How about the radio, same thing? Another clear signal that you’re experiencing hearing loss.
#5: Constant misinterpretation
Instead of having to ask people to repeat themselves over and over again, your mind is trying to fill in the gaps. You hear one thing, but they actually said something completely different. Not only is this embarrassing more often than not, but also another sign that your ears need help!
#6: Women and children are impossible
Here’s the thing about hearing loss: It’s going to impact higher frequencies of speech first. That means younger children with high-pitched voices will be really hard to hear or understand, along with women as well. Oftentimes people with hearing loss will prefer to talk to the guys, especially the guys with deep voices.
#7: There’s this ringing sound in your ears
Are your ears ringing all the time? It’s annoying. Known as tinnitus, the most common reason for experiencing this condition is hearing loss.
