How to Recognize Hearing Loss
Consider age-related hearing loss., Rule out trauma induced hearing loss., Perform a self-test for hearing loss., Determine if you struggle with one-on-one conversations., Notice whether you can hear clearly in noisy situations., Think about if...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Consider age-related hearing loss.
Hearing loss that occurs gradually with advancing age is called presbycusis.
Hearing loss associated with age is very common and affects nearly half of individuals over the age of
75.
This form of hearing loss is the result of several changes to the ears that occur over a lifetime.Chronic health conditions such as hypertension and diabetes can kill sensory cells in the ears that do not grow back.
Exposure to loud sounds that have resulted in the death of sensory cells adds up over time.
Age related changes to structures to the ear, such as the eardrum and ossicles, affect the ability of the ear to function optimally. -
Step 2: Rule out trauma induced hearing loss.
People of all ages can suffer from hearing loss due to trauma of some sort.
If you have recently experienced a physical trauma that may explain your hearing loss, this may be the culprit.Very loud sounds can damage your eardrums, and so can prolonged exposure to noise.
Sound is measured in units called decibels.
Sounds under 75 decibels usually do not cause traumatic hearing loss even after prolonged exposure.
Sounds measuring 85 decibels or over are associated with hearing loss after prolonged exposure.
Examples of these potentially damaging sounds come from motorcycles (95dB), sirens (120dB), and firecrackers (150dB).
To reduce your risk of trauma-induced hearing loss, limit your interactions with things that are loud enough to cause hearing damage.
These can include plane engines, lawnmowers, motorcycles, chainsaws, powerboats, and MP3 players.
If you do come into contact with these things, try to wear ear plugs or head phones.
Keep your MP3 player at a low volume.
Damage from flying or diving (barotrauma) can cause hearing loss as a result of unequal pressure between the internal parts of the ear and the external environment.If you have experienced any of these things, make sure to tell your doctor.
If you've recently been sick, hearing loss can be explained by congestion or an infection that damaged your ears.
In some cases, antibiotics can be used to help and the damage is rarely permanent. , Hearing loss can often come on gradually, but there may be signs emerging that indicate that you have a problem.
By figuring out the problem early, you can often seek treatment to delay further hearing loss.
Honestly assess your hearing.
Don’t be too proud or scared to admit that you are having some trouble hearing.Determine if you have ringing in your ears.
This may be a symptom of hearing loss.
Pay attention to how things sound to you.
Are you struggling to hear people, music, or television? Do you ask people to repeat themselves? For a week, pay close attention to your hearing. , If you are suffering from hearing loss, you may find that you struggle with normal conversations.
If you are talking to someone one-on-one, you may miss things the other person has said or need the person to speak louder.
You may have major difficulty following conversations involving more than two people.When you are talking to people, you may have to ask others to repeat themselves often.
When you engage in conversations with people, you may think that other people sound muffled.
You may also feel like people are mumbling when they talk.
When you are in a conversation with other people, you may find yourself agreeing or nodding your head even though you're not sure what's been said., Another sign you may be suffering from hearing loss is that you have trouble hearing in noisy environments.
When there is background noise around you, you have difficulty hearing conversations, music, or the television.
You may also experience difficulty hearing certain environmental sounds, such as birds chirping.You may have trouble hearing in noisy situations, like conferences, restaurants, malls, or crowded meeting rooms.
You may have difficulty in conversations involving more than one person because there are too many sounds for you to hear or differentiate between. , One side effect of hearing loss you may not even realize you are doing is changing your behavior because of your hearing.
Decide if you are withdrawing from social situations that you once enjoyed because of difficulty hearing.
For example, you may have stopped attending functions you used to enjoy, like plays, concerts, or movies, because you can’t hear.Think about if you have changed habits at home.
Do you turn up the volume on the television louder than you used to? Do you listen to your music at a louder volume than you used to? Figure out if you avoid phone calls because you can’t hear the person on the other end.
Determine if you now read lips in the movies or on TV, or if you intently watch a person's mouth while they are speaking.
You may also have started watching television with the subtitles on because you can’t understand what the people are saying. , Maybe you haven’t noticed any changes in your hearing because it has been gradual.
However, other people may start to comment on your hearing loss.
Think about whether or not other people have mentioned that your difficulty hearing is a concern.
You may also notice that people are getting surprised or perplexed because you misunderstand what they say.Do people that you talk to seem bothered that they need to repeat themselves? Notice if other people are annoyed when they are talking to you because you are having trouble understanding them.
Are other people complaining that you turn the volume of the television or radio too loud? Have people commented that you talk too loudly? Do people change their speech pattern when repeating themselves to help you understand them? Examples of this include talking louder, facing you directly when speaking, or slowing their speech and exaggerating their lip movements.
This may indicate that the individual thought they were speaking at an audible level previously and suspects that you have hearing loss. -
Step 3: Perform a self-test for hearing loss.
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Step 4: Determine if you struggle with one-on-one conversations.
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Step 5: Notice whether you can hear clearly in noisy situations.
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Step 6: Think about if you’re changing your behavior.
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Step 7: Notice if other people comment on your hearing.
Detailed Guide
Hearing loss that occurs gradually with advancing age is called presbycusis.
Hearing loss associated with age is very common and affects nearly half of individuals over the age of
75.
This form of hearing loss is the result of several changes to the ears that occur over a lifetime.Chronic health conditions such as hypertension and diabetes can kill sensory cells in the ears that do not grow back.
Exposure to loud sounds that have resulted in the death of sensory cells adds up over time.
Age related changes to structures to the ear, such as the eardrum and ossicles, affect the ability of the ear to function optimally.
People of all ages can suffer from hearing loss due to trauma of some sort.
If you have recently experienced a physical trauma that may explain your hearing loss, this may be the culprit.Very loud sounds can damage your eardrums, and so can prolonged exposure to noise.
Sound is measured in units called decibels.
Sounds under 75 decibels usually do not cause traumatic hearing loss even after prolonged exposure.
Sounds measuring 85 decibels or over are associated with hearing loss after prolonged exposure.
Examples of these potentially damaging sounds come from motorcycles (95dB), sirens (120dB), and firecrackers (150dB).
To reduce your risk of trauma-induced hearing loss, limit your interactions with things that are loud enough to cause hearing damage.
These can include plane engines, lawnmowers, motorcycles, chainsaws, powerboats, and MP3 players.
If you do come into contact with these things, try to wear ear plugs or head phones.
Keep your MP3 player at a low volume.
Damage from flying or diving (barotrauma) can cause hearing loss as a result of unequal pressure between the internal parts of the ear and the external environment.If you have experienced any of these things, make sure to tell your doctor.
If you've recently been sick, hearing loss can be explained by congestion or an infection that damaged your ears.
In some cases, antibiotics can be used to help and the damage is rarely permanent. , Hearing loss can often come on gradually, but there may be signs emerging that indicate that you have a problem.
By figuring out the problem early, you can often seek treatment to delay further hearing loss.
Honestly assess your hearing.
Don’t be too proud or scared to admit that you are having some trouble hearing.Determine if you have ringing in your ears.
This may be a symptom of hearing loss.
Pay attention to how things sound to you.
Are you struggling to hear people, music, or television? Do you ask people to repeat themselves? For a week, pay close attention to your hearing. , If you are suffering from hearing loss, you may find that you struggle with normal conversations.
If you are talking to someone one-on-one, you may miss things the other person has said or need the person to speak louder.
You may have major difficulty following conversations involving more than two people.When you are talking to people, you may have to ask others to repeat themselves often.
When you engage in conversations with people, you may think that other people sound muffled.
You may also feel like people are mumbling when they talk.
When you are in a conversation with other people, you may find yourself agreeing or nodding your head even though you're not sure what's been said., Another sign you may be suffering from hearing loss is that you have trouble hearing in noisy environments.
When there is background noise around you, you have difficulty hearing conversations, music, or the television.
You may also experience difficulty hearing certain environmental sounds, such as birds chirping.You may have trouble hearing in noisy situations, like conferences, restaurants, malls, or crowded meeting rooms.
You may have difficulty in conversations involving more than one person because there are too many sounds for you to hear or differentiate between. , One side effect of hearing loss you may not even realize you are doing is changing your behavior because of your hearing.
Decide if you are withdrawing from social situations that you once enjoyed because of difficulty hearing.
For example, you may have stopped attending functions you used to enjoy, like plays, concerts, or movies, because you can’t hear.Think about if you have changed habits at home.
Do you turn up the volume on the television louder than you used to? Do you listen to your music at a louder volume than you used to? Figure out if you avoid phone calls because you can’t hear the person on the other end.
Determine if you now read lips in the movies or on TV, or if you intently watch a person's mouth while they are speaking.
You may also have started watching television with the subtitles on because you can’t understand what the people are saying. , Maybe you haven’t noticed any changes in your hearing because it has been gradual.
However, other people may start to comment on your hearing loss.
Think about whether or not other people have mentioned that your difficulty hearing is a concern.
You may also notice that people are getting surprised or perplexed because you misunderstand what they say.Do people that you talk to seem bothered that they need to repeat themselves? Notice if other people are annoyed when they are talking to you because you are having trouble understanding them.
Are other people complaining that you turn the volume of the television or radio too loud? Have people commented that you talk too loudly? Do people change their speech pattern when repeating themselves to help you understand them? Examples of this include talking louder, facing you directly when speaking, or slowing their speech and exaggerating their lip movements.
This may indicate that the individual thought they were speaking at an audible level previously and suspects that you have hearing loss.
About the Author
Sophia Ruiz
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow cooking tutorials.
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