Bananas taste much different then they used to. There are rather different types of bananas being cultivated today by banana farmers. Today’s banana can grow easily in a wide variety of climates, are more resilient, and can develop faster. They don’t taste the same either. So how did this change happen without us noticing? Well, the reality is that it developed slowly, over time. You never noticed the gradual switch.
Hearing loss can happen in a similar way. It’s not like suddenly your hearing is totally gone. In most circumstances of hearing loss, it goes unnoticed because it advances so slowly.
That’s regrettable because early treatment can help maintain your hearing. You can take steps to safeguard your hearing if you recognize that it’s in danger. That’s why it might be important to watch for these seven signs your hearing could be waning.
7 signs you should get a hearing exam
Hearing loss happens slowly and over time, but it’s not always well grasped. It’s not as if you’ll go to a loud rock concert and the next day find yourself entirely unable to hear. Damage to your hearing (from that rock concert and other loud noises) builds up over time. So keeping an eye on your hearing early will be the best way to protect it. Untreated hearing loss has been linked to a greater risk of issues such as dementia, social solitude, and depression, so it’s not something you should mess around with.
You should, uh, watch out for these seven indications that you may be experiencing hearing loss. A hearing exam is the only way to know, but maybe these warning signs will prompt you to take some early action.
Sign #1: You’re constantly turning up the volume
Are you continually turning up the volume on your devices? Sure, maybe 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 used to be. But it’s also possible (if not probable) that you’re hearing is gradually going, and that you’re raising the volume of your favorite TV show or music to compensate.
This is particularly the situation if your family has also regularly been telling you that the TV is too loud. They can often spot hearing problems in you sooner than you can.
Sign #2: You failed to hear the doorbell (or a phone call)
If you’re frequently missing some everyday sounds, that may be an indication of trouble with your ears. Some of the most ordinary sounds you might miss include:
- Your doorbell (or someone knocking on the door): You thought your friend just walked into your house but you in fact missed his knocks.
- Alarms and timers: Did you burn 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: Are you missing text messages? You’re more likely to miss text messages than calls since nobody makes calls these days.
If your family and friends have mentioned that they’re kind of afraid of driving with you because you’re missing so many day to day sounds (from honking horns to the beeping of a truck in reverse), that could be an indication that it’s time for a hearing assessment.
Sign #3: You’re always asking people to repeat themselves
Is “What?” or “Pardon?” your most regularly used words? If you’re regularly needing people to repeat themselves, it’s very, very possible it isn’t because of them, it’s because of you (and your hearing). This is particularly relevant if people do repeat what they said and you still can’t hear what they’re saying. Most likely, time to schedule a hearing test.
Sign #4: Is everybody starting to mumble?
You could also call this sign #3-A, because they go rather well together. If it sounds as if everybody around you is constantly mumbling or talking under their breath, the reality is… well, they likely aren’t. That might be a comfort (it’s no fun to be surrounded by people who you think are mumbling things about you). Alternatively, it’s more likely that you’re simply having a hard time hearing what they’re saying.
This can be particularly noticeable if you’re trying to listen to somebody who has a higher pitched voice, or if you need 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)
Your friends and family most likely know you quite well. It’s likely that at least some of them have fairly healthy hearing. It’s a good plan to pay attention to your family members (especially the younger ones) if they are telling you something’s up with your hearing.
We get that it’s all too easy to sort of rationalize this advice away. Perhaps you think they just caught you on a bad day or something. But you could give your hearing an advantage by taking their advice.
Sign #6: You hear ringing in your ears (or experience vertigo)
When you’re experiencing ringing in your ears, you’re dealing with a condition called tinnitus. It isn’t at all unusual. When you’re dealing with hearing loss, your tinnitus can become severe for a couple of reasons:
- Both can be triggered by damage: Damage causes both tinnitus and hearing loss. 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 obvious: In your normal day-to-day life, tinnitus can be overpowered by the everyday noises you encounter. But as those everyday noises recede to the background (due to hearing loss), the tinnitus becomes relatively louder and considerably more noticeable.
It could be a sign that you’re dealing with issues with your ears, either way, if you have loud noises in your ears or balance issues and vertigo. And that means (no surprise here), yes, you need to come see us for an exam.
Sign #7: You feel tired after social engagement
Perhaps the reason why social interactions have become so exhausting is because you’ve always been an introvert. Or it might be possible that you’re not hearing as well as you once did.
When you leave a restaurant or a social affair feeling utterly depleted, your hearing (or lack thereof) could be the reason why. Your brain is trying to fill in the holes that you can’t hear. This is exhausting (no matter how good your brain is), particularly over the long run. So you may experience even more exhaustion when you’re in a particularly noisy setting.
The first step is calling 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 protect your ears when you’re exposed to loud sound.
So if you’ve encountered any of these signs, it’s an indication that the banana is changing. Happily, you can take matters into your own hands and give us a call for an appointment. The sooner your hearing loss is identified, the sooner you’ll be able to receive treatment.
