The effects of having hearing loss are not always immediate and obvious.
Hearing loss can occur slowly over time so its effects are not always obvious at first. Most people find out they have hearing loss by noticing how their hearing abilities begin to impact on their daily activities such as talking to family and friends, or going to work or school.
Symptoms That Suggest You May Have Hearing Loss
If you have hearing loss, the effects of having are not always immediate and it may take some time to become noticeable. Some signs hearing loss could be present include:
- Everybody appears to mumble;
- Having trouble understanding conversation in background noise;
- Finding it easier to understand others when you are looking directly at people’s faces;
- Often turning up the television or radio volume to a point that others complain;
- Missing essential sound cues like doorbells, alarm clocks, smoke alarms;
- Have trouble hearing over the telephone; and
- Turning one ear towards a speaker to hear sounds better.
Hearing loss can be sensorineural, conductive or mixed or it could be caused by parts of your nervous system or brain being unable to transmit or understand the hearing information that comes from your ears.
The extent of your hearing loss can vary depending on the pitch of the sounds you hear. If you experience more than one of the signs listed above you may have hearing loss, and it might be worthwhile discussing with your local GP about having your hearing tested by a hearing health professional such as an audiologist or audiometrist.
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