Signs of Hearing Loss

Your ear is a delicate and remarkable tool. Natural hearing is a fine-tuned and intricate process that uses three distinct parts of the ear to sense sound. If a part of the outer, middle, or inner ear is damaged or missing, a person can have hearing loss. Hearing loss tends to occur gradually over a period of 25-30 years, which is why it is so important to routinely test your hearing. Early signs (sometimes called symptoms) of hearing loss may include:

• Difficulty hearing conversations, especially in the presence of background noise
• Frequently asking others to repeat what they've said
• Misunderstanding what people say
• Difficulty hearing on the telephone
• Requiring the TV or radio volume to be louder than others in the room prefer
• Feeling that people are mumbling when they are talking
• Difficulty hearing certain environmental sounds, such as birds chirping
• Agreeing or nodding your head during conversations when you're not sure what's been said
• Removing yourself from conversations because it's too difficult to hear
• Reading lips so you can try to follow what people are saying
• Straining to hear or keep up with conversations
• Tinnitus (hearing a persistent ringing, buzzing or other sound)