Imagine dining in a busy restaurant. In the background there are dishes clattering, chairs scraping and people talking and laughing. You’re straining to follow the conversation at your table – and the effort is starting to make you feel tired and left out.

People with hearing loss experience this all the time. It’s not easy trying to keep up socially when you can’t hear the conversations going on around you. Understanding the signs and symptoms of hearing loss is the first step toward improved hearing health.

Losing your hearing vs. losing your vision

You might think loss of vision and loss of hearing are similar. However, vision loss gradually makes reading harder as the letters get smaller, but hearing loss is a bit different.

Hearing loss can make certain syllables and sounds harder to hear. For example, high-pitched consonants like F, S and T are easily drowned out by louder, low-pitched vowels like A, O and U. This is why a person with hearing loss sometimes says they can hear others are talking but can’t understand what they’re saying.

Normal hearing
Visual impairment
Hearing impairment

Signs you might have hearing loss

If you can answer “yes” to one or more of the following questions, you may have hearing loss and should consider
scheduling a hearing test with an authorized hearing care professional.

1. Do you find that people around you mumble or speak softly?

2. Do you find conversations in restaurants or crowded places difficult?

3. Do you often have to turn up the volume on your TV, radio or phone?

4. Do people complain your television or music is too loud?

5. Do friends and family members complain that they have to repeat what they say to you?

6. Do you have to look at people’s faces in order to be able to understand what they are saying?

7. Have you noticed that everyday sounds, like the twittering of birds, footsteps or the clock ticking, are gone?

You may be suffering some degree of hearing loss already, but our brains are smart enough to adapt to it. It’s always important to get a hearing test once a year to ensure you catch it before the symptoms get worse.

Other symptoms of hearing loss

Symptoms of hearing loss can vary from person to person. You may experience some psychological symptoms as well:

I am often insecure when I am out as I don’t know where sounds are coming from
I often feel depressed and alone
I often get tired and need to rest after work
I have problems remembering
I have problems recognizing speech, especially in gatherings with other people
My hearing loss has decreased my quality of life
My hearing loss not only affects me, it also affects my family

Do any of these signs and symptoms apply to you?

If you think you might have hearing loss or you haven’t received a hearing test in the last year, schedule an appointment today
with your local hearing care professional. There are many options available.

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Signs and symptoms of hearing loss

One in six adults experience some degree of hearing loss

Losing your hearing vs. losing your vision

Normal hearing

Visual impairment

Hearing impairment

Signs you might have hearing loss

Other symptoms of hearing loss

Do any of these signs and symptoms apply to you?

One in six adults experience some
degree of hearing loss