It’s important to have some awareness of the signs and symptoms of a hearing loss. It’s easy for early warning signs to go undetected, as it is difficult to compare your current hearing experience to the memory of what it used to be.
Dr. Ashley, at Selective Hearing, offers patients a checklist of experiences to look out for. Any one of them can indicate that a hearing evaluation is a good idea. See below for some of the most common ones.
Feedback from others
If it is not addressed, a hearing loss will take a toll on your interactions with other people. One advantage to this is that a change here will often give you a clue that you need to seek support for your hearing. If you have to ask people to repeat themselves or you are often told that you are speaking loudly, these are indicators that your hearing perception is not at full strength.
Blurring of sounds
This one you will notice in environments where there are lots of different sounds. A good example is a busy social occasion where lots of people are talking and the TV or music is on in the background. Your ear is a sensitive organ that can pick up and distinguish between different frequencies. If there is damage to the sensory equipment involved in this process, it affects your ability to pick out different sounds. They all begin to blur together, especially when they are of a similar frequency.
Take a moment when you are at the next social gathering. Concentrate and try to focus in on a single conversation or lyric in the music. If it’s tough going, it’s time for a hearing test.
Unfamiliar sounds
Sometimes a hearing loss comes with strange sounds such as buzzing, ringing, or roaring. This is because your auditory system is not processing sounds properly. If this happens to you, it’s tempting to accept and ignore it. However, it’s best to get it checked out. An improvement in your hearing ability can have a strong positive effect on your life.
Social isolation
When you experience some or all the above, it can seem easier to avoid social situations. If you are experiencing a hearing difficulty, it is likely that get-togethers are making you feel tired anyway. A noticeable drop-off in your desire to be with friends and loved ones is something worth investigating. There may be a solution which helps you to get back out there and enjoy everyone’s company again.
Get ahead of the issue
The sooner you get your hearing checked out, the more likely it is that support from Dr. Ashley can slow the progress of any deterioration. A hearing assessment in Crowley or Lafayette is the best way to be certain of your range and needs. Request an appointment through our website today.
