Healthy hearing is a big part of your life. Form work and socialising, relaxing or enjoying entertainment and building relationships with friends and family, we rely heavily on hearing. Yet for some reason, we often take hearing for granted and forget to keep an eye on it. Changes in your hearing are common, but it can be friends and family who notice it first.
The first step in caring for your hearing health is to keep an eye out for indications you might be developing a hearing loss. Because hearing changes slowly with age, it’s not always easy to spot the signs.
Signs of hearing loss
Here are some things to look out for if you’re worried about your hearing, or think someone close to you may have a hearing loss.
- You often ask people to repeat themselves
- Following along with conversations in a group is difficult
- Others sounds are muffled or people seem to mumble
- It's harder to hear in noisy places like shopping centres
- Friends or family often tell you that the TV or radio is up too loud
- You sometimes miss a knock at the door, the ring of the doorbell or your telephone ring
- There’s a buzzing or ringing sound in your ears
- Loud noises cause you discomfort
Hearing loss risks
Other health factors may also put you at a higher risk of hearing loss.
- Ageing
- Genetic factors
- Certain medications and diseases
- Exposure to loud noise
Doing something about it
You don’t have to put up with hearing loss. Hearing aids, devices and other personalised solutions can help. Depending on the type of hearing loss you have, medication or surgery may be required. It’s a matter of getting the right support.
Unfortunately, we know that most people wait an average of seven years to act1. When you put off getting help for hearing, you may start to change the way you live your life and stop enjoying the everyday activities you love. Maybe you’ve already started going out less, asking people to repeat themselves all the time, avoiding group situations or no longer taking part in activities you used to enjoy. There are other risks as well, such as missing important warning sounds like traffic or smoke alarms.
Getting your hearing checked is painless, easy and takes less than 15 minutes. Talking to a professional will help to ease your mind and help you find the right solution for you.
Don’t wait to do something about your hearing.
1. Acceptability, benefit, and costs of early screening for hearing disability (2007): a study of potential screening tests and models. Davis A1, Smith P, Ferguson M, Stephens D, Gianopoulos I, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17927921
