Bananas taste a lot different then they did in the past. There are extremely different varieties of bananas being grown nowadays by banana farmers. Today’s banana can grow successfully in a large number of climates, are more resilient, and can grow faster. And they taste very different. So why haven’t you noticed the great banana exchange? Well, the truth is that it developed slowly, over time. You never noticed the gradual switch.
Hearing loss can occur in the same way. It isn’t like suddenly your hearing is totally gone. In most circumstances of hearing loss, it goes unobserved because it develops so slowly.
Early treatment can really help preserve your hearing so that’s an unfortunate truth. If you know that your hearing is in danger, for example, you might take more safeguards to protect it. So it’s a good plan to be on the lookout for these seven signs of waning hearing.
You should have your hearing evaluated if you notice any of these 7 signs
Hearing loss isn’t always well grasped as it happens slowly over time. It isn’t like you’ll be completely incapable of hearing the day after you went to that big rock concert. Repeated exposure to loud noise over a long period of time gradually leads to recognizable hearing loss. The sooner you treat your hearing loss, the better off you’ll be. You shouldn’t put off on this because neglected hearing loss has been connected to issues like social separation, depression, and dementia.
You should, uh, keep your ear to the ground for these seven signs that you might be developing hearing loss. A hearing test is the only way to be sure, but perhaps these warning signs will prompt you to take some early action.
Sign #1: You keep turning up the volume on your devices
Do you find yourself continuously reaching for the volume controls? Sure, possibly it’s just that all of your favorite actors and artists have started mumbling, or that the audio 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 turning the volume up on your devices.
If others keep telling you the volume is too loud this is particularly likely. They will often detect your hearing loss before you notice it.
Sign #2: You failed to hear the doorbell (or a phone call)
It could be a sign that you’re having hearing trouble if you are constantly missing day to day sounds. Here are a few common sounds you might be missing:
- Somebody knocking on your door or ringing your doorbell: When your good friend abruptly walks into your house, consider the possibility that they did in fact knock, you just missed it.
- Alarms and timers: Did you overcook dinner or sleep or sleep through the ringing of 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’re missing them? Nobody calls anymore, so you’re more likely to miss a text message than a phone call.
You’re missing important sounds while driving, like honking horns or trucks beeping while backing up, and your friends and family are becoming afraid to drive with you.
Sign #3: You keep asking people to repeat what they said
Is “What?” or “Pardon?” your most commonly used words? It’s likely that it’s an issue with your hearing that’s causing you to need people to repeat themselves when they talk to you. This is particularly relevant if people do repeat what they said and you still can’t hear what they’re saying. Seems like a hearing test is needed.
Sign #4: Is everybody starting to mumble?
You could also call this sign #3-A, since they go pretty well together. You should recognize that people probably aren’t mumbling or talking about you under their breath even if your hearing loss is making it feel like this. It’s stressful to always think people are mumbling about you, so it may be a comfort to find out they’re actually not. Instead, it’s more likely that you’re just having a hard time hearing what they’re saying.
This can be especially pronounced if you’re trying to listen to somebody who has a higher pitched voice, or if you have to have a conversation in a noisy space, such as a restaurant.
Sign #5: Loved ones keep suggesting you have your hearing tested
You most likely have a pretty close relationship with your friends and family. It’s likely that at least some of them have pretty healthy hearing. It’s a good plan to listen to your family members (especially the younger ones) if they are telling you something’s up with your hearing.
It’s easy to understand 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 heeding their advice.
Sign #6: Your ears are ringing or you’re experiencing balance issues
Ringing in your ears is a condition known as tinnitus. It’s not at all uncommon. 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.
- Hearing loss can make tinnitus more obvious: In your normal day-to-day life, tinnitus can be overpowered by the everyday noises you experience. But as those everyday noises fade to the background (as a result of hearing loss), the tinnitus becomes comparatively louder and substantially more noticeable.
It could be a sign that you’re experiencing problems with your ears, either way, if you have loud noises in your ears or balance problems and vertigo. This means it’s time to come see us for a hearing test.
Sign #7: You feel exhausted after social interactions
Perhaps the reason why social situations have become so tiring is because you’ve always been an introvert. Or maybe, and just hear us out here (again with the puns), your hearing isn’t what it once was.
Your hearing might be the cause when you feel wiped out after leaving a restaurant or social event. When there are gaps in what you hear, your brain tries really hard to fill in those gaps. This additional effort by your brain can leave you feeling depleted. So when you’re in particularly challenging situations (like a noisy space), you might experience even more fatigue.
The first step is getting in touch with us for an appointment
The truth is that we all encounter some hearing damage during our lives. If or when you develop hearing loss is heavily dependent on how well you safeguard your ears when you’re exposed to loud sound.
So it might be an indication that the banana is changing if you encounter any of these signs. Luckily, you can take matters into your own hands and call us for an appointment. You’ll be able to get treatment as soon as you get diagnosed.
