How Hearing Loss Affects You
What did you say? This is an easy question for many to ask, but for those who suffer from hearing loss, this question might be embarrassing and reflective of a problem much larger than a momentary lapse in communication. A chronic hearing issue that isn’t addressed can lead to secondary conditions such as depression or even isolation from friends and family when it becomes too difficult to communicate with others. Particularly, older adults with impaired hearing can be labeled as uncooperative or confused when they simply can’t hear what a person is saying.
Allowing a treatable cause of hearing loss go undiagnosed can mean greater deterioration or even total hearing loss down the road. It’s important to see a doctor as soon as symptoms appear. There are many treatments for hearing loss, such as hearing aids, surgery and even medicines that can improve hearing and/or keep it from getting worse.
Signs To Look For
You can be proactive in determining whether you have hearing loss. There are certain signs you can look for in your own hearing behavior, including:
- Difficulty hearing over the telephone
- Trouble hearing over background noise
- Difficulty following a conversation when two or more persons are talking simultaneously
- General straining to understand conversations
- Hearing ringing, roaring, clicking, buzzing or hissing sounds
- Frequently asking people to repeat themselves
- Responding inappropriately because of a misunderstanding of what others are saying
- Perceiving others as mumbling or not speaking clearly
- Difficulty understanding women and children when they are talking
- Turning up TV volume to excessively high levels
- Perceiving some sounds as too loud
If you experience three or more of the symptoms above, you might need to get your hearing checked by a doctor.
