The thought of losing your hearing is certainly terrifying, but if it is happening, then you must be diligent about addressing it.
Hearing loss affects millions of people. To be specific, one in five Americans report hearing loss to some degree throughout their lifetime. This is a massive figure and it shows that there’s a good possibility it might also happen to you.
While it may seem obvious when someone is hard of hearing, you might have a harder time noticing it in yourself. Because of this, you’ll need to understand what the warning signs are so that you can get the help you need.
We’ll go over the indicators of hearing loss below to give you an idea of what to watch out for.
Muffled Voices
One of the first things you’ll notice is muffled voices.
This is one of the more obvious signs because it sounds like people are talking through a mask. You’ll likely have a hard time hearing what people are saying and might rely on reading lips to help.
Being unable to understand people is incredibly frustrating. You might find yourself constantly asking people to repeat themselves. Alternatively, you may not hear what someone has said, but refuse to ask for clarification out of shame or frustration.
There’s certainly a chance that people you talk to are speaking quietly, but if it’s everyone you come across, then it’s more likely your hearing that is the problem.
Indistinguishable Noises
You’ll also have difficulty distinguishing between noises that you hear.
If you’re ever in an environment that’s quite loud, like an outdoor festival, then you’re likely to hear a wide variety of noises. Usually, you can pick out what each noise is.
This means that you can hear the music that’s being played, individual conversations people are having, and the sound of cooking equipment working. While there may be several sounds, you can typically identify them.
On the other hand, if you’re beginning to experience hearing loss, then it’s more likely to just sound loud. You might not be able to tell exactly what is loud, but you’ll know that there is a lot of noise.
As a result, it’s going to sound like a cacophony and this can be overwhelming. Not only that, but it makes it difficult for you to enjoy any environment that might be loud or busy.
Social Fatigue
Another symptom you might be dealing with is fatigue from social settings.
Spending a lot of time around people that you have difficulty hearing is extremely frustrating. You’ll spend most of your time straining to hear and this is taxing on you, both mentally and physically.
Eventually, this might cause you to avoid social settings altogether. When you know that you’re going to have a hard time hearing, you might find it better to do something else that doesn’t involve conversation.
If you find yourself quickly running out of energy in social environments, then hearing loss might be a factor.
High Volume Levels on Devices
A final indicator of hearing loss is using all of your devices on high volume.
Anytime you’re using a device, like your phone, TV, car stereo, or computer speakers, then it’s natural to turn up the volume when you can’t hear.
There typically isn’t anything wrong with this, but being hard of hearing might cause you to turn up the volume excessively without noticing. Sometimes this is effective, but more likely you’ll just cause further damage to your ears while still being unable to hear what you’re listening to.
You might not be aware of this, but if your friends or family frequently ask you to turn down the volume, then there’s a good chance that you’re listening exceptionally loud. Alternatively, if you glance at any of your devices and notice a high volume level, then you might be experiencing hearing loss.
Closing Thoughts
Hearing loss is a serious problem that affects millions of people across the world. It causes you to have a hard time listening and this will negatively impact your quality of life.
If you’re noticing any signs, then you shouldn’t delay getting help! A few things to look out for include muffled voices, inability distinguishing between sounds, fatigue from social settings, and using your devices at high volume.
To start gaining your hearing back, you should see an ear specialist and learn about your options! Hearing loss is a hard topic to address, but you can improve your situation and there’s no need to feel ashamed.