Hearing loss is usually an aggravating condition that can be caused by a variety of things. Although hearing loss is often caused by age or an injury, in some situations, hearing loss may be an indication of a more severe root medical condition.
These are some hearing loss red flags you should watch for
There are varieties of red flags that may be a sign of hearing loss and that it’s time to schedule a hearing test appointment. Here are some of those red flags that should make you pay attention.
Having trouble hearing phone calls
You may be having a hard time hearing phone calls even with the volume setting. You should call us for a hearing test if you find yourself constantly cranking up the volume on your phone.
Trouble making out conversations
Although getting lost during a conversation isn’t always an indication of hearing loss, it may be a sign of hearing loss if you frequently have difficulty processing the conversation when two or more people are talking at the same time.
Family & neighbors are complaining about a loud TV
It can be challenging to hear television programs, especially if music is combined with dialog. It’s important to understand that turning the television up louder doesn’t always clear up the sound. But it’s time to have your hearing assessed if your neighbors can hear your TV or if you continuously need the volume on a really loud setting.
Trouble hearing in noisy settings
If you are in a public location and the background noise makes it difficult to hear the other people with you, it typically means you struggle to mask background noise and focus on speech. People who are experiencing hearing loss most frequently have this complaint.
You say “what” frequently
If somebody is mumbling a few feet from you and you’re unable to hear them, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have hearing loss. Still, it could be a red flag that you aren’t receiving and processing speech properly if the word “what” is the most used word in your vocabulary.
Misunderstanding what people are saying
It can be an indication of high frequency hearing loss, often an awkward one, if you regularly misunderstand what people are saying. This type of hearing loss makes it hard to discern speech.
If you are experiencing any of the above red flags, you should schedule a hearing assessment as soon as possible. Here’s the good news, hearing testing is easy and the stigma of hearing loss is a thing of the past so there’s no reason to continue to have difficulty hearing.