We see our GP as soon as we notice something is wrong with our health. But hearing loss symptoms are subtle and typically emerge very slowly. It usually takes years for people to realize they have hearing loss.
Also, we simply don’t test our hearing enough. Research indicated that only less than half of adults who reported trouble hearing had seen a healthcare provider for their hearing in the past five years.” When was the last time you had a hearing test?
There’s no reason we shouldn’t test our hearing more frequently. You can do online hearing tests in minutes and they are mostly free. Although the online hearing tests are not suitable for clinical purposes, they are a great starting point, especially if you started feeling that your hearing is going down.
Check below to see if you have any of these 10 most common hearing loss symptoms.
1. You ask people to repeat what they just said Asking people to repeat what they just said is normal but to some extent. It is normal to ask people to repeat themselves if you are in a very noisy place, or you were not paying attention to what they were talking about, or the speaker is in distance. But if you are asking people to repeat themselves often, or you notice that you are asking them to repeat themselves more often it may be a symptom of hearing loss.
2. You cannot hear the details A common symptom of people who start noticing their hearing loss is that they feel that some details of the day to day life are gone. For example, they feel that others aren’t speaking clearly, or mumbling. The bids sounds are not there when you walk in a park, or the music doesn't sound as good as it used to be. If you find yourself thinking people are mumbling and are hard to understand, that could be a sign of hearing loss.
3. You struggling to follow a conversation in the background noise If you have trouble following a conversation in a noisy pub, coffee shop or a restaurant, group situations or at parties, this is a very common sign of hearing loss.
4. People complain that the volume of your TV is very loud If you need to turn the TV volume higher than before and people around you are complaining that the TV sound is very loud then it could be it. You need a hearing test.
5. Hearing on the phone is more difficult than before If you feel like you cannot hear on the phone even when the connection and signal are fine, this may be a symptom of hearing loss. The same goes with if you notice that you use one ear more often to talk over the phone versus the other ear.
6. People suggested that you need a hearing test Very often before you, the people around you notice a change of behaviour or health issue in you. It is very common that friends and loved ones notice our hearing loss first. So If folks close to you are commenting that you aren’t hearing well, it’s probably worth making an appointment with an audiologist.
7. You fatigue easily after long periods of listening People with hearing loss have to exert extra energy to focus on and follow conversations, which can lead to mental fatigue. If you find yourself struggling to follow long periods of listening, you may be dealing with hearing loss.
8. You avoid social engagements and activities When you cannot hear well you disengage, and when you disengage from the conversation subconsciously you lose interest and start self-isolation. The change in behaviour is very gradual but it will happen to those with hearing loss.
9. You misunderstand the conversation The very first signs of hearings loss could be that you start misunderstanding some words, for example mixing up words such as rush for road, while for white. If that’s happened to you, it’s wise to test your hearing.
10. Your family has a history of hearing loss If your family has a history of any hearing disorder or early hearing loss, there is a higher chance that you may have hearing loss too. The other area that could signal a hearing loss is if you have a history of chronic severe cold and earache in childhood. In some cases, severe cold in childhood could result in perforations in your eardrum that often heals by themselves. However, if you remember that in childhood you used to get cold and pain in your ears it is worth a hearing test to set a baseline for your hearing.
If you do have any of the above hearing loss symptoms and want to confirm it, I would recommend you take our free online hearing test, or — better yet — book a home visit with us for a thorough evaluation and test before it has a chance to negatively impact your quality of life. Our home-visit hearing care services offer a comprehensive hearing test. We cover South London areas including Bromley, Beckenham, Crystal Palace, Dulwich, Sutton, Elham, Greenwich, and Wimbledon,... (see our service area here).
Interested to learn more about invisible hearing aids? Read our report on the best invisible hearing aids in the market.
Update
Rexton released its rechargeable invisible Rexton Reach inoX CIC in April 2024. The hearing aid is the smallest rechargeable CIC and takes advantage of the same IX platform as Signia SILK IX CIC. Rexton Reach inoX CIC comes with a portable portable charger and when fully charged can run 24 to 29 hours without the need for a recharge. It can connect to the Rexton App for adjusting the volume, setting programs and receiving remote telecare updates. Rexton Reach inoX CIC comes in 3 technology levels, 80, 60 and 40. The product is the choice of hearing aid for people with mild to moderate hearing loss who want a pair of rechargeable and discrete hearing aids. Rexton Reach inoX CIC has received a lot of interest from those who are in search of an affordable replacement for their NHS hearing aids.
