The First Signs of Age-Related Hearing Loss

As you age, it’s important to keep an eye on your overall health. This includes monitoring for any changes or abnormalities, including those that can occur with your hearing. Age-related hearing loss is the most common type of hearing loss, and it affects millions of Americans each year. This article will discuss the first signs of age-related hearing loss so that you can be aware of what to watch out for. If you experience any of these symptoms, please see an audiologist right away!

Difficulty Hearing Conversations in a Noisy Environment

One of the first signs of hearing loss associated with age is difficulty hearing conversations in noisy environments. In a crowded room, hearing every word that someone is saying can be difficult. In addition, the background noise from other people talking can make it hard to understand what is displayed. When hearing loss affects your ability to understand conversations, you may find yourself asking people to repeat themselves or leaning in closer to hear them better.

Additionally, this hearing loss makes it difficult to understand multiple conversations at once, and you may miss out on important parts of the conversation even when you are paying attention. To detect hearing loss early, pay attention to how often you have difficulty hearing conversations in a noisy environment. If you find yourself having difficulty hearing more than usual, see an audiologist as soon as possible.

Frequently Asking People to Repeat Themselves

Frequently asking people to repeat themselves is another common sign of hearing loss caused by age. When hearing loss occurs, the ability to understand speech may be impaired and it can feel like you are hearing only part of a conversation or hearing someone speak underwater. This can lead you to ask people to repeat themselves more often than usual. You may even find yourself completely lost in conversations and unable to comprehend what has been said at all.

If you find yourself frequently asking people to repeat themselves, it’s important to seek help from an audiologist as soon as possible. An audiologist can provide information on hearing tests that can help determine the cause and severity of your hearing loss so that appropriate treatment measures can be taken. With appropriate treatment, hearing loss related to age can often be managed effectively, allowing you to stay connected with friends and family while enjoying the sounds of your daily life.

Trouble Hearing High-Pitched Sounds

Another common sign of age-related hearing loss is difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds. High-pitched notes and sounds may become difficult to hear or seem muffled or distorted. This often affects hearing words that contain higher pitched syllables such as ‘s’ and ‘f,’ making it difficult to understand what someone is saying even in a quiet environment. Additionally, hearing high-pitched tones like those heard in bird calls, chimes, whistles and instruments may be affected.

In some cases, hearing aids can help with hearing these more subtle tones by providing additional amplification, allowing the user to better distinguish between different pitches and frequencies. Taking a hearing test from an audiologist can help determine if hearing aids are needed and can also provide information on which type of hearing aid would be most effective for the individual’s hearing loss and lifestyle needs.

Turning Up the Volume too High

One final sign of age-related hearing loss is turning up the volume too high on the TV, radio or other sound sources. If you have to turn up the volume louder than usual to hear dialogue and music clearly, it could be an indicator of hearing loss. Over time hearing loss can cause sounds to become distorted or muffled, which can make it difficult to understand what is being said.

This often causes people to increase their sound levels in order to amplify what they’re hearing. However, this isn’t a good long-term solution as it can damage your hearing even further over time. It’s important to get your hearing tested if you need to increase the volume continuously.

Hearing loss related to age can be a complex and sometimes confusing journey. However, hearing loss can be managed effectively with the right information and resources. The first step is to take notice of any changes in the hearing. If you notice one or more of these signs, it’s important to seek help from an audiologist as soon as possible; they will advise on hearing tests and what steps should be taken next to manage your hearing loss correctly.

Contact Information

To learn more about age-related hearing loss signs, please do not hesitate to contact us at Advanced Hearing of Brighton at 810-355-2245