Bananas don’t taste like they once did. There are very different types of bananas being cultivated today by banana farmers. These new bananas develop faster, are more robust, and can prosper in a wider range of climates. They don’t taste the same either. So why haven’t you noticed the great banana exchange? Well, the change wasn’t a quick one. You never noticed the gradual change.
The same thing can happen with your ears and hearing loss. It isn’t like you get up one day and can’t hear anything. In most cases of hearing loss, it goes unnoticed because it develops so slowly.
Early treatment can really help preserve your hearing so that’s a regrettable truth. You can take measures to safeguard your hearing if you recognize that it’s in danger. That’s why it may be worthwhile to watch for these seven indications your hearing could be waning.
7 signs you should get a hearing test
Hearing loss takes place gradually and over time, but it’s not always well grasped. It isn’t as if you’ll be totally unable to hear the day after you went to that big rock show. Recurring exposure to loud noise over a long period of time gradually leads to recognizable hearing loss. So monitoring your hearing early will be the best way to protect it. Neglected hearing loss has been connected to an increased risk of issues including dementia, social solitude, and depression, so it’s not something you should mess around with.
You should, uh, watch out for these seven signs that you might be developing hearing loss. A hearing exam is the only way to know, but maybe these warning signs will motivate you to take some early action.
Sign #1: You keep turning up the volume on your devices
Are you constantly turning up the volume on your devices? Perhaps they’re mixing the audio on your favorite shows differently now, or your favorite artists have started to mumble. But it’s more likely that you’re compensating for your increasing hearing loss by turning the volume up on your devices.
If others keep telling you the volume is too high this is especially likely. They can often recognize hearing problems in you faster than you can.
Sign #2: You didn’t hear the phone ringing (or the doorbell)
If you’re continuously missing some day to day sounds, that may be an indication of trouble with your ears. Here are a few common sounds you may be missing:
- Your doorbell (or someone knocking on the door): When your good friend abruptly walks into your house, take into account the possibility that they did in fact knock, you simply missed it.
- Alarms and timers: Did you burn dinner or sleep or sleep through your alarm clock? It might not be because your cook timer or alarm clock is not loud enough.
- Your phone: Text messages coming to you but you missed them? Nobody makes phone calls anymore, so you’re more likely to miss a text message than a call.
You’re missing crucial sounds while driving, like honking horns or trucks beeping while backing up, and your family and friends are becoming scared to drive with you.
Sign #3: You’re continuously asking people to repeat what they said
Are your most frequently used words “what?” or “pardon?”? It’s likely that it’s a problem with your hearing that’s causing you to need people to repeat what they said when they’re talking with you. If people do repeat what they said and you still fail to hear them this is particularly relevant. Definitely, time to schedule a hearing assessment.
Sign #4: Is everyone starting to mumble?
This one goes pretty well with #3 and we may even call it #3-A. If it sounds as if everyone around you is constantly mumbling or saying something under their breath, the reality is… well, they likely aren’t. That might be a relief (it’s no fun to be surrounded by individuals who you think are mumbling stuff about you). The truth is that you’re simply not hearing them because of your loss of hearing.
This can be especially noticeable if you’re trying to listen to somebody who has a higher pitched voice, or if you need to have a conversation in a noisy space, such as a restaurant.
Sign #5: Family members prompt you to get a hearing assessment (or invest in hearing aids)
You probably have a rather close relationship with your family and friends. And some of them probably have healthy hearing. It’s a smart idea to pay attention to your family members (particularly the younger ones) if they are telling you something’s up with your hearing.
We get that it’s all too easy to sort of rationalize this recommendation away. Possibly you tell yourself it was just a bad day or whatever. But you could give your hearing an advantage by heeding their advice.
Sign #6: You hear ringing in your ears (or experience vertigo)
When you’re experiencing ringing in your ears, you’re dealing with a condition called tinnitus. It’s incredibly common. There are a couple of reasons why you might experience more ringing in your ears when you’re dealing with hearing loss:
- Damage can trigger both: Both hearing loss and tinnitus can be brought on by damage. So the more damaged your hearing system is, the more likely you are to experience both hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Tinnitus is more pronounced when you have hearing loss: In your typical day-to-day life, tinnitus can be overwhelmed by the everyday noises you encounter. But as hearing loss makes those background sounds quieter, tinnitus symptoms come to the front.
Either way, if you’re experiencing loud ringing, or even dizziness and vertigo, it could be a sign that something is happening in your ears. This means it’s time to come see us for a hearing assessment.
Sign #7: You feel tired after social interactions
Perhaps you’ve always been an introvert at heart, and that’s why social situations have become totally draining. Or it might be possible that you’re not hearing as well as you once did.
When you leave a restaurant or a social event feeling totally exhausted, your hearing (or lack thereof) could be the cause. Your brain is attempting to fill in the gaps that you can’t hear. This is fatiguing (no matter how good your brain is), particularly over the long run. So when you’re in especially challenging situations (like a noisy space), you might experience even more fatigue.
The first step is calling us for an appointment
Honestly, hearing damage is normal to everybody to some level. Just how much (and how frequently you were wearing hearing protection) might have a huge impact on when you develop hearing loss, or if you develop hearing loss at all.
So it might be an indication that the banana is changing if you experience any of these signs. Fortunately, there’s something you can do about it: come in and get tested! The sooner your hearing loss is diagnosed, the sooner you’ll be able to receive treatment.
