How Do You Know if You Have Hearing Loss?

Do you have hearing loss? You’ve alighted upon this article so there’s a good chance that you at least suspect that you might. Untreated hearing loss can cause a number of unwanted impacts. So, how do you know if you have hearing loss? The sad fact is that in many cases, you may be the last to realize there is an issue with your hearing. Hearing loss often occurs gradually, meaning it can be difficult for you to recognize the symptoms. However, there are a number of clear indications that you are experiencing hearing loss, you just need to be able to identify them. If you have noticed any of the following signs, consider scheduling an appointment with an audiologist.

You understand women much less than men

When your hearing loss begins, you may struggle to hear women more than men. This is because women generally have voices that are higher in pitch than their male counterpart. When it comes to most forms of hearing loss, higher frequencies are often the first to become lost, or muddled. There are, however, some exceptions. Those with Meniere’s disease, for example, tend to undergo a reverse curve of hearing loss, losing lower frequencies first.

You struggle to follow conversations in busy environments

If you find following a conversation between friends in a busy bar or restaurant after work an arduous ordeal this is likely an indicator of hearing loss. When we have hearing loss, it becomes increasingly difficult to isolate individual voices in a noisy environment, especially when many of those noises are other voices. It’s also common for those with hearing loss to find even attempting to follow a long conversation in a busy public area tiring or even exhausting. If you tend not to go out after work anymore because it’s all a little too tiring, you may be suffering from hearing loss.

Tinnitus

Tinnitus is that ringing in your ears that follows you no matter where you go or what you do. It’s consistently present and in quiet environments, it can seem deafening. While many of us experience tinnitus after being subjected to loud noises, if you experience it regularly in a normal environment this may be a telltale sign of hearing loss. The good news is that the sooner you make an appointment to see your local audiologist, the better chance you stand of repairing your hearing and preventing these unpleasant signs from manifesting further.