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Hearing loss is among the most common conditions affecting older adults. Nearly 50% of adults over the age of 75 have trouble hearing. Hearing loss can be caused by changes to the inner or middle ear, long-term noise exposure, certain medications, other medical conditions, and changes to nerve pathways linking the ear and the brain. New research indicates that genetics may also make some individuals more susceptible to hearing loss as they age.
As you get older, it becomes more important to have your hearing tested. Hearing loss can be treated with the help of hearing aids and other assistive devices. In some cases, hearing loss can even be attributed to causes such as wax buildup that is easily removed by a professional.
Identifying hearing loss early allows you to seek appropriate treatment without delay. An audiologist can assess the type and severity of your hearing loss and recommend an appropriate treatment, such as hearing aids. Visit an audiology clinic such as TorontoHearing.ca to find out how a hearing aid can help.
Below are five of the most common warning signs that you are experiencing hearing loss.
1. You Have Difficulty Following Conversations in Loud Environments
One sign of hearing loss is that you struggle to follow conversations when you are in a restaurant, on a busy street, or in another environment with significant background noise. Background noise tends to be low-pitched, while many sounds in speech happen at a higher frequency. Individuals who struggle to hear higher frequencies will have a harder time hearing conversations.
2. You Feel Exhausted After Social Occasions
Coming home after a social event and feeling exhausted could be a sign that your brain is working overtime to fill in gaps and make sense of what other people are saying. Keeping up with conversations when you cannot hear everything that the other person is saying requires enormous effort, particularly if more than one person is speaking at a time.
3. You Can’t Hear Colleagues or Customers at Work
The workplace can be a difficult environment to control. Background noise from vehicles, other people, or equipment can hinder your ability to follow colleagues or customers and reflect poorly on your work performance. If you find your work has suffered due to hearing challenges, a hearing aid can help.
4. You Keep Increasing the Volume of Your Television or Speakers
A subtle sign that you may be experiencing hearing loss is a slow but persistent increase in the volume at which you set your television or speakers. Hearing loss is progressive. Over time, you may find that you need to increase the volume of your television to hear comfortably.
5. Your Ears Feel Clogged or Stuffed
A wax or fluid buildup in your ears can muffle sounds and make your ears feel clogged. Professional earwax removal often restores your hearing. Treatment from a professional involves removing excess wax using a specialized tool, suction, or flushing to safely remove the blockage. If other warning signs persist after having a wax buildup removed, a hearing test may be appropriate.
If you experience any of these early warning signs, talk to an audiologist about getting your hearing tested.
