You Should Get a Hearing Test if You Detect Any of These 7 Signs

Man carrying freshly harvested bananas on his back.

Bananas don’t taste the same as they once did. That’s because today’s banana farmers grow a very different type of banana then they used to. These new bananas grow faster, are more resilient, and can prosper in a wider variety of climates. And they taste quite different. So how did this change happen without us noticing? Well, the reality is that it developed slowly, over time. You never noticed the gradual change.

The same thing can happen with your ears and hearing loss. It’s not like suddenly your hearing is totally gone. For the majority of people, hearing loss progresses gradually, frequently so slowly that you don’t really recognize what’s happening.

Early treatment can really help preserve your hearing so that’s an unfortunate truth. You can take measures to safeguard your hearing if you’re aware that it’s in danger. That’s why it may be significant to watch for these seven indications your hearing might be waning.

You should get your hearing evaluated if you notice any of these 7 signs

Hearing loss develops slowly and over time, but it isn’t always well understood. It’s not as if you’ll go to a loud rock concert and the next day find yourself completely unable to hear. Repetitive exposure to loud sound over a long period of time slowly results in recognizable hearing loss. The sooner you deal with your hearing loss, the better off you’ll be. You don’t want to put off on this because neglected hearing loss has been connected to problems like social isolation, depression, and dementia.

These seven indicators are what you should be watching out for. The only way to know for certain is to get a hearing assessment, but these signs might encourage you to make an appointment earlier than you otherwise would have.

Sign #1: You’re continuously cranking up the volume

Are you constantly cranking up the volume on your devices? Sure, maybe it’s just that all of your favorite actors and artists have begun to mumble, or that the audio mixing on TV shows is dramatically different than it used to be. But it’s more likely that you’re compensating for your increasing hearing loss by cranking the volume up on your devices.

This is particularly the situation if your family has also regularly been telling you that the TV is too loud. They can usually notice hearing issues in you faster than you can.

Sign #2: You failed to hear the doorbell (or a phone call)

It could be an indication that you’re having hearing issues if you are continuously missing everyday sounds. Here are some common sounds you could be missing:

  • Your doorbell (or someone knocking on the door): You thought your friend just walked into your house but you in fact missed his knocks.
  • Timers and alarms: Did you burn dinner or sleep or sleep through the ringing of your alarm clock? It may not be because your cook timer or alarm clock is not loud enough.
  • Your phone: Text messages coming to you but you’re missing them? You’re more likely to miss text messages than calls since no one makes calls nowadays.

You’re missing crucial sounds while driving, like honking horns or trucks beeping while backing up, and your family and friends are becoming scared to drive with you.

Sign #3: You’re continuously needing people to repeat what they said

Is “What?” or “Pardon?” your most commonly used words? If you’re regularly needing people to repeat themselves, it’s very, very possible it’s not because of them, it’s because of you (and your hearing). If people do repeat what they said and you still don’t hear them this is especially true. Seems like a hearing test is in order.

Sign #4: It sounds like everyone’s always mumbling

You could also call this sign #3-A, since they go pretty well together. If it sounds as if everyone around you is continuously mumbling or saying something under their breath, the reality is… well, they likely aren’t. That might be a comfort (it’s no fun to be surrounded by individuals who you think are mumbling stuff about you). The truth is that you’re simply not hearing them because of your hearing loss.

This can be especially noticeable if you’re trying to listen to someone who has a higher pitched voice, or if you have to have a conversation in a loud space, such as a restaurant.

Sign #5: Family members prompt you to take a hearing assessment (or get hearing aids)

You probably have a rather close relationship with your family and friends. It’s likely that at least some of them have fairly healthy hearing. If your members of your family (especially younger) are telling you that something isn’t right with your hearing, it’s a smart idea to listen to them (no pun intended).

It’s understandable that you would want to rationalize away this advice. Perhaps you tell yourself it was just a bad day or whatever. But you could give your hearing an advantage by taking their advice.

Sign #6: You hear ringing in your ears (or experience vertigo)

Ringing in your ears is a condition known as tinnitus. It’s not at all unusual. When you have hearing loss, your tinnitus can become severe for a couple of reasons:

  • Both can be caused by damage: Damage triggers both tinnitus and loss of hearing. So the more damaged your hearing system is, the more likely you are to develop both hearing loss and tinnitus.
  • Hearing loss can make tinnitus more noticeable: In your ordinary day-to-day life, tinnitus can be overpowered by the everyday noises you experience. But as those everyday noises fade to the background (due to hearing loss), the tinnitus becomes comparatively louder and substantially more noticeable.

Either way, if you’re experiencing loud ringing, or even dizziness and vertigo, it could be an indication that something is going on in your ears. This means it’s time to come see us for a hearing assessment.

Sign #7: You feel fatigued after social interactions

Maybe the reason why social interactions have become so tiring is because you’ve always been an introvert. Or it might be possible that you’re not hearing as clearly as you used to.

When you leave a restaurant or a social affair feeling utterly depleted, your hearing (or lack thereof) might be the cause. Your brain is trying to fill in the gaps that you can’t hear. This additional effort by your brain can leave you feeling depleted. So you may experience even more exhaustion when you’re in a particularly noisy setting.

The first step is calling us for an appointment

Honestly, hearing damage is common to everybody to some level. If or when you develop hearing loss has a lot to do with how well you protect your ears when you’re subjected to loud sound.

So if you’ve experienced any of these signs, it’s a sign that the banana is changing. Luckily, you can take matters into your own hands and contact us for an appointment. You’ll be able to get treatment as soon as you get diagnosed.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.

Stop struggling to hear conversations. Come see us today. Call or Text