Bananas don’t taste like they once did. There are extremely different varieties of bananas being cultivated nowadays by banana farmers. Today’s banana can develop successfully in a wide variety of climates, are more robust, and can develop faster. And they taste quite different. So why haven’t you noticed the great banana exchange? Well, the truth is that it developed slowly, through the years. The change was so gradual you never noticed.
Hearing loss can happen in a similar way. It isn’t like you get up one day and can’t hear a thing. For the majority of people, hearing loss progresses slowly, frequently so slowly that you don’t really recognize what’s taking place.
Early treatment can really help maintain your hearing so that’s a regrettable truth. You can take steps to safeguard your hearing if you recognize that it’s in danger. So it’s a good plan to keep an eye out for these seven signs of diminishing hearing.
You should have your hearing evaluated if you experience any of these 7 signs
Hearing loss develops slowly and over time, but it’s not always well grasped. It isn’t as if you’ll go to a loud rock concert and the next day find yourself entirely unable to hear. Damage to your hearing (from that rock concert and other loud noises) increases over time. So keeping an eye on your hearing early will be the best way to safeguard it. You shouldn’t put off on this because untreated hearing loss has been linked to problems such as social separation, depression, and dementia.
These seven signs are what you should be watching out for. The only way to know for certain is to get a hearing test, but these indicators may encourage you to make an appointment earlier than you otherwise would have.
Sign #1: You’re constantly cranking the volume up
Do you find yourself constantly 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 was before. But it’s more likely that you’re compensating for your increasing hearing loss by cranking the volume up on your devices.
This is especially the case if your family has also constantly been telling you that the TV is too loud. They can often recognize hearing issues in you faster than you can.
Sign #2: You didn’t hear the phone ringing (or the doorbell)
It could be an indication that you’re having hearing issues if you are constantly missing day to day sounds. A few of the most ordinary sounds you might miss include:
- Your doorbell (or a knock on the door): When your good friend suddenly walks into your house, consider the possibility that they did actually knock, you just missed it.
- Timers and alarms: Did you overcook dinner or sleep or sleep through your alarm clock? It might not be because your cook timer or alarm clock is not loud enough.
- Your phone: Text messages coming to you but you missed them? No one makes phone calls nowadays, so you’re more likely to miss a text message than a phone call.
You’re missing crucial sounds while driving, like honking horns or trucks beeping while backing up, and your friends and family are becoming scared to drive with you.
Sign #3: You’re always asking people to repeat themselves
Are your most commonly used words “what?” or “pardon?”? 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. This is particularly relevant if people do repeat themselves and you still don’t hear what they say. Probably, time to get a hearing exam.
Sign #4: It sounds as if everybody’s always mumbling
This one goes fairly well with #3 and we may even call it #3-A. If it sounds like everybody around you is constantly mumbling or talking under their breath, the reality is… well, they likely aren’t. That might be a comfort (it’s no fun to be surrounded by people who you think are mumbling things about you). Instead, it’s more likely that you’re just having a hard time hearing what they’re saying.
If you’re attempting to talk to someone in a noisy setting or with someone who has a high pitched voice this can be particularly true.
Sign #5: Loved ones keep suggesting you have your hearing checked
You most likely have a rather close relationship with your friends and family. It’s likely that at least some of them have fairly healthy hearing. If your family members (particularly younger) are telling you that something isn’t right with your hearing, it’s a good plan to listen to them (no pun intended).
It’s understandable that you would want to rationalize away this advice. Possibly you tell yourself it was just a bad day or whatever. But you could give your hearing an advantage by heeding their advice.
Sign #6: Your ears are ringing or you’re experiencing balance problems
Ringing in your ears is a condition called tinnitus. It’s incredibly common. There are a couple of reasons why you might experience more ringing in your ears when you have hearing loss:
- Damage can cause both: Both hearing loss and tinnitus can be the result of damage. So you’re more likely to experience tinnitus and hearing loss the more damaged your hearing is.
- Tinnitus is more obvious when you have hearing loss: Tinnitus can be drowned-out by everyday noises in your day-to-day life. But as those everyday noises recede to the background (due to hearing loss), the tinnitus becomes relatively louder and significantly more noticeable.
It could be an indication that you’re dealing with problems with your ears, either way, if you have loud noises in your ears or balance issues and vertigo. This means it’s time to come see us for a hearing assessment.
Sign #7: Socializing leaves you feeling fatigued
Maybe you’ve always been an introvert at heart, and that’s why social interactions have become totally draining. Or perhaps, and just hear us out here (again with the puns), your hearing isn’t what it used to be.
When you leave a restaurant or a social event feeling completely drained, your hearing (or lack thereof) might be the reason why. Your brain is attempting to fill in the gaps that you can’t hear. This extra effort by your brain can leave you feeling exhausted. So when you’re in particularly strenuous situations (such as a noisy space), you may experience even more exhaustion.
The first step is calling us for an appointment
Honestly, hearing damage is common to everybody to some degree. Exactly how much (and how often you were using hearing protection) might have a huge impact on when you develop hearing loss, or if you develop hearing loss in the first place.
So it may be an indication that the banana is changing if you encounter any of these signs. Thankfully, there’s something you can do about it: come in and get tested! The sooner your hearing loss is diagnosed, the sooner you’ll be able to get treatment.