One early sign of hearing loss that is quite common is misunderstanding people that are speaking to you. This can lead to misinterpretations and miscommunication between you and those you communicate with. If you often find yourself mistaking what people say, hearing loss could be to blame, and it might be time for a hearing test.
Whether you're watching TV, listening to music, or talking on the phone, you might think that the noise level is perfectly normal until someone asks you to turn it down. Obviously, some people are bound to have more sensitive hearing, but when several people tell you the same thing in a variety of situations, there's a good chance that you could be struggling to hear. So if your family, friends, and coworkers have voiced the opinion that you talk too loudly and your music and television habits follow suit, it may be time for a hearing test.
One of the first signs that you're suffering from hearing loss is when you have difficulty following a conversation in crowds. If you often have trouble differentiating between who’s speaking to you in a noisy environment, you could be in the early stages of hearing loss.
In truth, tinnitus is not necessarily a symptom of hearing loss, but the two often go hand-in-hand, especially if hearing loss is related to noise damage. If you notice a ringing or buzzing in your ears, you'll want to get it checked out by a hearing care professional. You should also take the opportunity to get a hearing test, just in case you have both conditions. Studies have shown that hearing aids can both relieve your tinnitus and help you hear if you have hearing loss.
Asking others to repeat themselves constantly is not only frustrating to those trying to tell you something, but it can start to make you feel uncomfortable as well. For this reason, people suffering from hearing loss often resort to nodding and smiling when people talk, even if they're not catching a word. If this is you or someone you know, it would probably be worth getting their hearing checked.