Hearing loss is widely recognized to be a process that develops gradually. That’s why it can be quite insidious. Your hearing gets worse not in big leaps but by little steps. So if you’re not watching closely, it can be difficult to measure the decline in your hearing. That’s why recognizing the first signs of age-related hearing loss can be a big boost for your ear-defense.
A whole assortment of related problems, like anxiety, depression, and even dementia, can result from untreated hearing loss, so even though it’s hard to notice, it’s important to get hearing loss treated as early as you can. You will also prevent additional deterioration with timely treatment. Detecting the early warning signs is the best way to guarantee treatment.
Initial signs of hearing loss can be difficult to identify
The first indications of hearing loss are usually elusive. It isn’t like you wake up one day and, all of a sudden, you can’t hear anything lower than 65 decibels. Instead, the initial signs of hearing loss hide themselves in your day-to-day activities.
You see, the human body and brain, are amazingly adaptable. When your hearing starts to fade, your brain can begin to compensate, helping you follow discussions or determine who said what. Likewise, if your left ear starts to fade, perhaps your right ear starts to compensate and you unconsciously begin tilting your head just a bit.
But there’s only so much compensation that your brain can accomplish.
First indications of age-related hearing loss
If you’re worried that your hearing (or the hearing of a family member) might be failing because of age, there are some common signs you can keep an eye out for:
- Consonant sounds like “s” and “th” are tough to distinguish.: There’s something about the frequency that these sounds vibrate on that can make them especially difficult to hear when your ears aren’t at their optimum level. The same goes for other consonants also, but you should particularly pay attention to those “s” and “th” sounds.
- A hard time hearing in crowded spaces: Picking individual voices in a crowded space is one thing that the brain is extremely good at. But as your hearing gets worse, your brain has less information to work with. It can quickly become overwhelming to try to hear what’s happening in a busy room. Getting a hearing examination is the best option if you find yourself avoiding more conversations because you’re having a difficult time following along.
- Elevated volume on devices: This sign of hearing loss is possibly the most widely known. It’s classic and frequently cited. But it’s also easy to notice and easy to monitor (and easy to relate to). You can be certain that your hearing is starting to go if you’re constantly turning the volume up.
- You’re asking people to repeat what they said frequently: This one shouldn’t come as much of a shock. In most instances, though, you will do this without even recognizing that you are doing it at all. When you have a hard time hearing something, you might request some repetition. Some red flags should go up when this begins to happen.
You should also be on the lookout for these more subtle signs
There are some signs of hearing loss that don’t appear to have much to do with your hearing. These signs can be powerful indicators that your ears are struggling even though they’re subtle.
- Restless nights: Ironically, another sign of hearing loss is insomnia. You may think the quiet makes it easier to fall asleep, but straining to hear puts your brain into a chronic state of alertness.
- Frequent headaches: Your ears will still be struggling to hear even as your hearing is declining. They’re working hard. And that extended strain also strains your brain and can result in chronic headaches.
- Trouble concentrating: It could be difficult to achieve necessary levels of concentration to get through your day-to-day activities if your brain has to devote more resources to hearing. As a result, you might experience some trouble focusing.
When you detect any of these signs of age-related hearing loss, it’s important to schedule an appointment with us to determine whether or not you are dealing with the early development of hearing decline. Then we can help you protect your hearing with the best treatment plan.
Hearing loss is a slowly advancing process. But you can stay ahead of it with the correct knowledge.
References
https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/46306-Hearing-loss-auditory-deprivation
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/symptoms-causes/syc-20373072