While this may not come as a shock, it’s unlikely that you will wake up one day and not be able to hear conversations around you. Hearing loss typically occurs gradually over time. However, you may not notice the warning signs before damage has already been done to your hearing.
To avoid hearing problems, you must understand the warning signs of hearing loss so you know when to schedule a hearing evaluation with a hearing specialist. Although symptoms of hearing loss can vary from person to person, the Hearing Associates of Las Vegas team has put together a quick guide that you can reference, outlining some common indicators you are losing your hearing.
Difficulty Hearing in Noisy Environments
It’s not uncommon for individuals to have a hard time hearing someone else talk in a boisterous environment like a concert. However, suppose you’re finding it increasingly difficult to hear a person sitting across the table from you in a restaurant with a lot of background noise. In that case, you may be experiencing hearing loss.
When there is too much background noise, it will be hard for your ears to pick up sounds that your brain can decipher. As a result, you may find yourself retreating from social situations that involve noisy environments.
Inability to Hear Consonants
One of the first signs of hearing loss is the inability to hear high-frequency sounds. While most individuals think of high-frequency sounds as whistling, birds chirping, or specific alarms, this may also affect how you hear words.
A number of consonants are considered high-frequency, such as S, F, Th, Sh, V, K, and P. This means that you have a difficult time deciphering words that use these consonants, including words like “there” and “share” and “show” and “throw.” Because of this, you may struggle to follow the conversation as your mind tries to piece together what is being said.
Unable to Pick Up Small Sounds
As we mentioned, one of the first indicators that you’re experiencing hearing loss is losing the ability to hear high-frequency noises. If you think you may be experiencing hearing loss, take a minute to listen to the world around you and see if it sounds the same as it always has.
Can you still hear birds chirping as the sun rises each morning? Can you make out what your grandchildren are saying to you? Are you able to hear the microwave chime when your food is ready? If you begin having trouble hearing these high-frequency noises, it may be time to visit a hearing specialist to get checked out.
Additional Warning Signs of Hearing Loss
Along with the three common warning signs mentioned above, be on the lookout for the following indicators of hearing loss:
- Asking others to repeat themselves constantly
- Turning up the volume on the television or radio
- Complaining that others aren’t speaking loudly enough
- Unable to decipher conversations when you can’t read the person’s lips
Hearing loss is nothing to be ashamed about. If any of these warning signs sound like something you’re experiencing, the Hearing Associates of Las Vegas team is here to assist.
Schedule an Appointment with Hearing Associates of Las Vegas
If you struggle to hear in everyday situations, you may question if you are experiencing hearing loss. You can take our quick and easy 5-minute hearing quiz to assess the situation. Then, depending on the results, we may recommend you schedule a hearing evaluation to determine the problem and provide the best treatment plan to improve your hearing.
For a personalized hearing evaluation, you should be sure to come to Hearing Associates of Las Vegas. Our hearing specialists are highly experienced and can provide you with an in-depth hearing test to evaluate whether you have hearing loss and to what extent the loss is affecting you. We do our best to make our hearing offices comfortable places where anyone can feel welcome, complete with a fresh plate of cookies!
Call the Hearing Associates of Las Vegas to schedule a hearing evaluation if you are ready to take control of your hearing needs. Contact us today to set up an appointment with one of our hearing specialists!
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