Bananas don’t taste like they once did. There are very different varieties of bananas being grown these days by banana farmers. These new bananas develop faster, are more resilient, and can thrive in a wider variety of climates. And they taste very different. So why haven’t you noticed the great banana swap? Well, the truth is that it happened slowly, through the years. You never noticed the gradual change.
Hearing loss can occur in the same way. It isn’t like all of a sudden your hearing is totally gone. For the majority of individuals, hearing loss develops slowly, frequently so slowly that you don’t really realize what’s happening.
Early treatment can really help maintain your hearing so that’s a regrettable truth. You can take measures to protect your hearing if you’re aware that it’s at risk. So it’s a good plan to be on the lookout for these seven signs of waning hearing.
You should have your hearing tested if you exhibit any of these 7 indicators
Hearing loss takes place gradually and over time, but it’s not always well understood. It’s not like you’ll be totally unable to hear the day after you went to that big rock show. Recurring exposure to loud sound over a long period of time slowly results in recognizable hearing loss. The earlier you treat your hearing loss, the better off you’ll be. Untreated hearing loss has been linked to a greater danger of issues including dementia, social isolation, and depression, so it isn’t something you should mess around with.
These seven indicators are what you should be paying attention to out for. The only way to know for certain is to get a hearing assessment, but these indicators may encourage you to make an appointment earlier than you normally would have.
Sign #1: You keep turning up the volume on your devices
Do you find yourself continuously reaching for the volume controls? Sure, possibly it’s just that all of your favorite actors and artists have started mumbling, or that the sound mixing on TV shows is dramatically different than it used to be. But it’s more likely that you’re compensating for your increasing hearing loss by turning the volume up on your devices.
This is especially the situation if your family has also constantly been telling you that the TV is too loud. They will frequently notice your hearing loss before you become aware of it.
Sign #2: You failed to hear your phone ringing (or the doorbell)
If you’re continuously missing some day to day sounds, that might be an indication of issues with your ears. Here are some common sounds you may be missing:
- Someone knocking on your door or ringing your doorbell: When your good friend abruptly walks into your house, consider the possibility that they did actually knock, you simply missed it.
- Timers and alarms: Did you overcook dinner or sleep or sleep through the ringing of your alarm clock? It may not be because your cook timer or alarm clock is too quiet.
- Your phone: Text messages coming to you but you missed them? You’re more likely to miss text messages than phone calls since nobody makes calls nowadays.
If your family and friends have pointed out that they’re kind of afraid of driving with you because you’re missing so many common sounds (from honking horns to the beeping of a truck backing up), that could be an indication that it’s time for a hearing exam.
Sign #3: You keep needing people to repeat what they said
Is “What?” or “Pardon?” your most frequently used words? 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 don’t hear them this is particularly relevant. Seems like a hearing test is in order.
Sign #4: It sounds like everybody’s always mumbling
This one goes fairly well with #3 and we may even call it #3-A. You should recognize that people probably aren’t mumbling or talking about you under their breath even if your hearing loss is making it feel like this. It’s stressful to always feel like people are mumbling about you, so it may be a relief to learn they’re actually not. The truth is that you’re simply not hearing them because of your loss of hearing.
This can be especially pronounced if you’re attempting to listen to someone who has a higher pitched voice, or if you have to have a conversation in a loud space, like a restaurant.
Sign #5: Loved ones keep recommending you get your hearing tested
You most likely have a rather close relationship with your friends and family. It’s likely that at least some of them have pretty healthy hearing. It’s a smart idea to pay attention to your family members (especially the younger ones) if they are telling you something is going on with your hearing.
We get that it’s all too easy to sort of rationalize this recommendation away. Perhaps you think they just caught you on a bad day or something. But you could give your hearing an advantage by taking their advice.
Sign #6: You hear ringing in your ears (or experience vertigo)
Ringing in your ears is a condition known as tinnitus. It’s really common. There are a couple of reasons why you may experience more ringing in your ears when you have hearing loss:
- Both can be triggered by damage: Damage causes both tinnitus and loss of hearing. So the more damaged your hearing system is, the more likely you are to experience both hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Hearing loss can make tinnitus more pronounced: Tinnitus can be drowned-out by everyday noises in your day-to-day life. But as hearing loss makes those background sounds quieter, tinnitus symptoms come to the front.
Either way, if you’re going through loud ringing, or even dizziness and vertigo, it could be an indication that something is happening in your ears. And that means (no surprise here), yes, you need to come see us for a hearing test.
Sign #7: You feel exhausted after social engagement
Perhaps you’ve always been an introvert at heart, and that’s why social interactions have become totally exhausting. Or maybe, and just hear us out here (again with the puns), your hearing isn’t what it once was.
When you leave a restaurant or a social affair feeling totally exhausted, your hearing (or lack thereof) might be the reason why. When there are interruptions in what you hear, your brain works really hard to fill in those gaps. This additional effort by your brain can leave you feeling exhausted. So when you’re in particularly challenging situations (such as a noisy space), you may experience even more fatigue.
Start by coming to see us
The truth is that we all experience some hearing damage in our lifetimes. Exactly how much (and how frequently you were using hearing protection) might have a huge affect on when you develop hearing loss, or if you develop hearing loss at all.
So if you’ve encountered any of these signs, it’s an indication that the banana is changing. Happily, you can take matters into your own hands and give us a call for an appointment. The sooner your hearing loss is identified, the sooner you’ll be able to get treatment.