According to your local Plano audiologist, hearing loss is a progressive condition. This means that the symptoms appear gradually and it usually takes people a while to realize they are losing their hearing. This is one of the reasons most wait an average of seven years before they seek help for their hearing loss.
As with any medical condition, the sooner you seek treatment, the better the results. In order to identify your condition early, you will need to be aware of the symptoms.
According to your Plano audiologist, the most common symptoms of hearing loss are below.
Having trouble following conversations with background noise.
Trying to have a conversation in a loud environment is hard, even with normal hearing. Those with hearing loss have an even harder time distinguishing speech from sound. Their brains have to work harder, which can lead to mental and physical exhaustion.
Frequently asking people to repeat themselves.
Those in the early stages of their hearing loss may find themselves missing a word here or a sentence there. This can become increasingly exasperating, especially when in order to understand fully, you must ask people to repeat themselves. This is also frustrating for your conversation partners. Contact your Plano audiologist today to help alleviate the burden you are placing on both yourself and your family and friends.
Turning the volume on the television or radio up.
An easy way to tell if your hearing has gotten worse is to see what you set the volume of your television to. Does it seem particularly high? Then it is time to make an appointment with your audiologist.
If I may interject with a PSA about the volume settings on the television and radio – please turn the volume down before turning off a device. Your family members do not deserve to terrified by a burst of sound because they innocently turned on the television.
Avoiding social gatherings.
Untreated hearing loss can increase your feelings of depression, anxiety and loneliness. These feelings are often escalated when you begin turning down invitations to social events, as it simply becomes easier to stay home than it does to deal with the frustration that comes from not being able to communicate with others.
Feeling like others mumble when they speak.
A complaint commonly heard by Plano audiologist is that people around their patients have started to mumble. While we are not here to discount the possibility that everyone around you has become a mumbler, the most likely scenario is that this is you. Hearing loss makes it harder to hear others, especially women and children.
Knowing the signs of hearing loss can help you identify it early. Contact your Plano audiologist today to learn more about hearing loss or to schedule an appointment.
