Hearing loss is very common. Roughly 15% of the U.S. population—tens of millions of people—have some form of hearing loss. Early detection and treatment can prevent other health problems from occurring in the future. If you notice any signs of hearing loss, it’s best to get your hearing tested and take steps to prevent further loss.
In this article, we’ll discuss:
The most common signs of hearing loss
Hearing loss can be difficult to recognize because it often happens gradually. Sometimes friends or family will notice a person's hearing problems before the person with hearing loss recognizes it.
Signs of hearing loss also depend on the level of hearing loss you have. For example, a person with mild hearing loss will experience sounds differently than a person with a profound hearing loss.
Common signs of hearing loss include:
- Conversations are hard to follow, especially in noisy environments like restaurants
- People seem to be mumbling
- Difficulty talking on the phone
- Asking others to repeat themselves or to speak up
- Turning up the TV volume or radio
- Trouble understanding women and children
- Trouble hearing high-pitched sounds, such as birds chirping, doorbells, or cell phone alerts
- Inability to distinguish consonants such as "p" and "t" or "sh" and "th."
- Ringing in the ear
- Hypersensitivity to certain sounds
- Falling or having trouble balancing
Take a hearing test
If you’ve noticed yourself or a loved one experiencing any of these signs of hearing loss, it's time to take a hearing test. You can check your hearing at a local hearing clinic or from the comfort of your home. Simply take the MDHearing free online hearing test and receive your results immediately.