Signs of hearing loss

Hearing loss is known to affect 1 in 10 people in the general population and for over 65 year olds the incidence grows to 1 in 3. Communication ability and quality of life can be significantly compromised for people with hearing loss and their families.

Signs of a hearing loss can appear subtly over time or can emerge suddenly, as a result of an accident or illness.

The common indicators of hearing loss are

Socially:

require frequent repetition.
have difficulty following conversations involving more than 2 people.
think that other people are mumbling.
have difficulty hearing in noisy situations, like conferences, restaurants, malls, or crowded meeting rooms.
have trouble hearing children and women.
have your TV or radio turned up to a high volume.
answer or respond inappropriately in conversations.
have ringing in your ears.
read lips or more intently watch people's faces when they speak with you.

Emotionally:

feel tired and stressed from straining to hear what others are saying.
feel annoyed at other people because you can't hear or understand them.
feel embarrassed to meet new people or from misunderstanding what others are saying.
feel nervous about trying to hear and understand.
withdraw from social situations that you once enjoyed because of difficulty hearing.

Medically:

have a family history of hearing loss.
take medications that can harm the hearing system (ototoxic drugs).
have diabetes, heart, circulation or thyroid problems.
have been exposed to very loud sounds over a long period or single exposure to explosive noise.