Hows My Hearing..?

Common symptoms of some of the early stages of hearing loss often include:

• Difficulty hearing conversations, especially in the presence of background noise
• Frequently asking others to repeat what they have said
• Misunderstanding what people say - Difficulty hearing on the telephone
• Requiring the TV or radio volume to be louder than others in the room prefer
• Feeling that people are mumbling when they are talking
• Difficulty hearing certain environmental sounds, such as birds chirping
• Agreeing or nodding your head during conversations when you are not sure what has been said
• Removing yourself from conversations because it is too difficult to hear
• Reading lips so you can try to follow what people are saying
• Straining to hear or keep up with conversations
• Tinnitus

Warning signs of a more severe or progressive loss may be :

• Speaking louder than necessary in a conversation.
• Constantly asking for words to be repeated
• Straining to hear
• Misunderstanding conversations
• Favouring one ear
• Thinking that people are always mumbling
• Turning the television or radio up louder than usual
• Difficulty hearing the telephone
• Withdrawing from social contact
• Ringing or buzzing in the ears (Tinnitus)
• Appearing dull or disinterested
• Being slow to respond

If you find yourself saying “yes” to three or more of the above symptoms then a hearing test may be advisable for you. Hearing loss may be caused by many factors including aging, noise exposure, middle or inner ear infections, and in rarer cases a neurological disorder or tumor. A proper audiological assessment will help to determine if a hearing loss is present, and if so, it’s severity and what treatment options are available.