The Unexpected Signs of Hearing Loss

Your brain makes adjustments to overcome the lack of some sounds as your capacity to hear begins to deteriorate. Because this process takes place over an extended period, you are unaware that you are experiencing hearing loss until you start to struggle with it. Untreated hearing loss continues to cause hearing damage but also contributes to the development of mental and physical health issues over time.  All of these problems can be avoided through proper hearing healthcare. For this reason, it is necessary to make our patients aware of the unexpected signs of hearing loss.

“Can You Repeat That, Please?”

We get that people speak too softly, mumble or speak too fast, but that is the exception rather than the rule. If you frequently ask others to repeat themselves, it is possible that your hearing is on the decline. Seeking help can relieve you of this annoying habit and return things to normal.

Ongoing Ringing in My Head

Ringing, buzzing, hissing, or humming are words used to describe the symptoms of tinnitus, which is an indicator of early-stage hearing loss. Tinnitus does not cause hearing loss, but because the brain creates a noise that really does not exist to compensate for a lack of stimulation related to various tones and frequencies, many researchers see it as a symptom of hearing loss rather than an independent condition.

A Night Out, Family Gatherings And Social Events Are Bothersome

Bowing out of attending family gatherings and social events or not going out to restaurants are common signs of hearing loss. The common complaint is that background noise makes it difficult to enjoy conversations, and the experiences cause extreme exhaustion, which is due to straining in order to hear and keep up with conversations. You can return to enjoying these sorts of things if you seek help for your hearing loss.

I’d Rather Speak Face-to-Face then Use the Phone

If you avoid using the phone and prefer face to face conversation, consciously or unconsciously, it is a good indicator of hearing loss. Though you are not aware of it, you rely on non-verbal cues to understand during face-to-face conversations. When talking on the phone, those non-verbal cues disappear, making you rely on sound alone. Therefore, you prefer face-to-face conversations in order to understand better.

Face-to-Face Conversations Are Difficult to Follow

Although there are a lot people saying crazy things nowadays, that’s not usually the case during normal conversations. If you frequently misunderstand what people are saying, it could relate to a decreased ability to distinguish various consonant sounds from others, which changes the meaning of words and sentences. Also, words or phrases spoken at a higher frequency may be entirely missed, making it difficult to understand women and children. Both problems are classic signs of hearing loss.

Friends and Family Harass Me about Getting My Ears Checked

Hearing loss occurs slowly, so it is coworkers, friends, and family will notice the problem before you do. Though they might not address the issue with tact, these individuals typically have your best interest in mind, which is why they are telling you to get your hearing checked. The frustration involved with struggling to communicate can be eliminated by seeking care for your hearing loss.

Pacific Hearing Inc. Will Identify and Correct Your Hearing Loss

If you are experiencing one or several of the problems we discussed, it could mean that you are losing your capacity to hear clearly. The only way to know for sure is to have your hearing tested.  Pacific Hearing provides comprehensive hearing assessments designed to identify and guide proper treatment to restore hearing loss. Contact us if you or a loved one is experiencing these unexpected signs so you or they can get the necessary help for hearing loss.