October is Audiology Awareness Month, which means there’s no better time to do something about your hearing loss or get a hearing test.
You may think that hearing loss is no big deal, but in actuality, untreated hearing loss is linked to an increased risk of social withdrawal, feelings of loneliness, depression, anxiety, falls/accidental injuries and even dementia.
Below we review some of the signs of hearing loss.
You Feel as Though Everyone Mumbles
It’s true that some people do mumble. But if you feel as though everyone is mumbling all the time, this is a sign of hearing loss. This occurs because, in most cases, hearing loss affects high-frequency sounds first, like consonants. So while you may feel as though you can hear the volume of people’s voices just fine, it’s difficult to make out exactly what is being said.
You Have Trouble Talking on the Phone
Talking on the phone is a notoriously difficult listening situation for people with hearing loss. When you can’t hear well, you rely on visual cues, including gestures, facial expressions and lip-reading, to follow what someone is saying. When talking on the phone, these cues are absent.
You Have Difficulty Following Conversations in Background Noise
Another tough listening situation for people with hearing loss is any setting with background noise, like 3 Eleven Kitchen and Cocktails. This is because it’s tough to focus on the voice of your conversation partner when there is a room full of other voices to compete with.
Some Sounds Are Uncomfortably Loud
Many people with hearing loss are sensitive to certain loud sounds, thanks to a phenomenon known as recruitment. When some of the delicate hair cells within your inner ears that convert soundwaves into electrical energy become damaged, the healthy cells respond to sounds more forcefully, especially loud sounds.
You Feel as Though You’re Getting Clumsier
Untreated hearing loss has been linked to an increased risk of falling, according to research by Johns Hopkins. The study found that people with even mild hearing loss have a three times higher risk of falling compared to people with normal hearing. For every additional 10 dB of hearing loss, this risk increases by 1.4-fold. If you experience any of these symptoms of hearing loss, it’s important to schedule a hearing test right away.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Total Hearing Care of Dallas today.
