It’s often said that hearing loss is a gradual process. It can be rather subtle for this very reason. Your hearing doesn’t get worse in giant leaps but rather in tiny steps. So if you’re not paying close attention, it can be hard to keep track of the decrease in your hearing. That’s why identifying the first signs of age-related hearing loss can be a big help for your ear-defense.

Even though it’s hard to detect, dealing with hearing loss early can help you avoid a wide range of related conditions, including depression, anxiety, and even dementia. You will also avoid further deterioration with prompt treatment. Observing the early warning signs is the best way to guarantee treatment.

It can be hard to observe early signs of hearing loss

Early hearing loss has elusive symptoms. You don’t, all of a sudden, lose a large portion of your hearing. Instead, the early signs of hearing loss hide themselves in your everyday activities.

You see, the human body and brain, are incredibly adaptable. When your hearing begins to fade, your brain can start to compensate, helping you follow discussions or determine who said what. Similarly, if your left ear begins to fade, perhaps your right ear starts to pick up the slack and you unconsciously start tilting your head just a bit.

But your ears and brain can only compensate so much.

Age related hearing loss – initial signs

There are some common signs to look out for if you think that you or a loved one might be going through the onset of age associated hearing loss:

• You’re asking people to repeat what they said often: This might be surprising. But, typically, you won’t recognize you’re doing it. Obviously, if you have difficulty hearing something, you will ask people to repeat what they said. Some red flags should go up when this starts to happen.
• Boosted volume on the TV, radio, or cell phone: This is probably the single most well-known sign of hearing loss. It’s common and often cited. But it’s also easy to notice and easy to monitor (and easy to relate to). You can be certain that your hearing is starting to go if you’re always turning the volume up.
• Struggling to hear in noisy settings: Picking individual voices in a crowded space is one of the things that the brain is quite good at. But as your hearing gets worse, your brain has less information to work with. Hearing in a crowded room can quickly become overwhelming. If following these conversations is harder than it used to be (or you find yourself opting out of more conversations than you used to), it’s worth having your ears assessed.
• Consonant sounds like “s” and “th” are difficult to distinguish.: There’s something about the frequency that these sounds vibrate on that can make them especially difficult to hear when your ears aren’t at their peak. You should pay especial attention to the “s” and “th” sounds, but other consonant sounds can also become confused.

You should also be on the lookout for these more subtle signs

A few subtle signs of hearing loss seem like they don’t have anything at all to do with your hearing. These signs can be powerful indicators that your ears are struggling even though they’re discreet.

• Persistent headaches: When your hearing starts to decrease, your ears are still struggling to hear sounds. They’re working hard. And straining like this over prolonged periods can cause chronic headaches.
• Restless nights: Ironically, another sign of hearing loss is insomnia. You may think the quiet makes it easier to fall asleep, but the strain puts your brain into a chronic state of alertness.
• Difficulty concentrating: If your brain is having to devote more resources to hearing, you could have less concentration power available to accomplish your everyday routines. As a result, you may experience some difficulty focusing.

When you notice any of these signs of age-related hearing loss, it’s worth scheduling an appointment with us to identify whether or not you are dealing with the early stages of hearing impairment. Then we can help you safeguard your hearing with the right treatment plan.

Hearing loss is a slow-moving process. With the right knowledge, you can stay ahead of it.

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References

https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/46306-Hearing-loss-auditory-deprivation

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/symptoms-causes/syc-20373072