Are you having trouble with your hearing?
It happens to us all eventually, mainly as a side-effect of aging. Of course, it can also be the result of our own silly behavior, such as listening to music a little bit (or a lot) too loudly, and/or working in loud environments without the aid of hearing protection.
Thankfully, however, hearing loss can be prevented, so it may not be too late for you. There is some advice here that should be adhered to. And even if your hearing has gone a little, there might not be the need for full-blown hearing aids just yet. Take a look at these PSAPs, (personal sound amplification products), that may be just what you need if you spot any of the signs in this article. Still, you should also visit a hearing specialist for professional advice, just in case your hearing is worse than you think it is.
These are the signs that you might have hearing loss.
#1: Your neighbors keep making noise complaints. Are you forever turning up your television? Are you only able to enhance your enjoyment of music by having your sound system on full? Then you may be having issues with your hearing. For your sake, and for the sake of your poor neighbors who may not want to listen to what you’re listening to day and night, go and see a hearing specialist for advice.
#2: You say ‘what’ a lot. Asking people to repeat themselves occasionally is okay, especially when they are at a distance from you, or if they mumble their words. But if you are using the word ‘what’ a lot to get people to repeat themselves to you, then you probably have a hearing problem. Oh, and you also have a problem with your politeness, as surely you should be using the word ‘pardon’ instead!
#3: People remind you of the teacher from Charlie Brown. Click here if you need a reminder of what we mean! If this is what people sound like to you; i.e., they are muffled and indistinct, then you have a problem. This will often happen in larger crowds, as you might have trouble following conversations when people are speaking at the same time. It might just be that you need to clean your ears of wax, but you might also have a hearing problem that needs addressing.
#4: You regularly misunderstand what people are saying to you. People with hearing loss often struggle to hear higher frequencies, particularly those words spoken by women and children. So, if your wife and kids often complain that you aren’t listening to them properly, your hearing might be to blame. On the other hand, you might be too distracted by your favorite television show, so you may have less of an excuse when they ask you why you aren’t paying more attention to them!
#5: You’re becoming annoyed a lot during conversations. You might just be a very temperamental person, but if you are struggling to hear people properly, then it’s understandable that you will get annoyed. You will be annoyed at others who supposedly mumble or speak too quietly, and you will get annoyed at yourself for not being able to hear properly. If this is you, and you’re not usually so moody, then you know what you need to do. Get your hearing checked!
Have you related to any of the signs here? If so, get the help you need. Book yourself in for a hearing test, and seek advice on what you should do next. It’s the sense-able thing to do!
