If you're concerned that your ability to hear the sounds around you isn't as sharp as it used to be, there's no need to feel embarrassed. Struggles with hearing become more common through the aging process to the point at which half of people 75 years of age or older suffer from serious hearing loss. You can stop missing out on conversations with loved ones by visiting a hearing center and having your hearing evaluated. If it's not as sharp as it could be, getting one or two hearing aids can dramatically boost your ability to hear even the slightest sounds, which can improve your quality of life. Here are three signs that can indicate your hearing loss.
You're Constantly Being Told To Talk Quieter
When you have trouble hearing people around you, you can often experience difficulty hearing yourself speak, too. To compensate for this issue, you'll often increase your speaking volume and you might not even be aware that you're doing it. One sign that your hearing is suffering is that people are constantly asking you to lower your voice. Having one or two people tell you this message isn't necessary indicative of hearing loss, but if you notice that people from all parts of your live -- family, friends and even strangers -- are making this request, it's beneficial to visit a hearing center.
You're Missing Common Sounds
An effective way to evaluate your hearing ability is to notice how well you're hearing common sounds that you encounter daily. This self-test is often ideal to perform at home where you're accustomed to the sound level of certain noises. Think about things such as the ringer on the phone, your alarm clock buzzer, the doorbell and the timer on the stove. If you've previously been able to hear these sounds without issue but are now struggling to detect them, it's a sign that you might have hearing loss. These sounds are an effective way to test your hearing because they don't change in volume.
Less Active In Conversations
If you continue to attend social gatherings but find that you're no longer as active in conversations as you used to be, it could be a sign of hearing loss. Struggles with hearing can make you not only have trouble following conversations, but also tentative to talk because you don't want to initiate discussions that you might not be able to hear. A hearing evaluation and hearing aids can help you overcome this issue and once again find pleasure in conversations with loved ones.
For hearing aids, contact a company such as Pacific Hearing Care.
