Do you ever have difficulty hearing in social situations when three or more people are talking? This may be a sign of hearing loss.
Nearly 31.5 million people suffer from hearing loss in the United States. That’s nearly 10% of the American population! In fact, hearing loss is the third most common medical condition in the United States, preceded by arthritis and heart disease. The signs of hearing loss can be divided into three categories: social, emotional, and medical. Here is what to look for if you suspect you have hearing loss.
Social
The social signs of hearing loss are how you react when in social settings. Here are a few of the social signs:
- Difficulty understanding a conversation when three or more people are talking.
- Need to turn the TV volume up to a high volume.
- Watch faces and lips closely to discern speech.
- Often ask people to repeat themselves.
- Provide inappropriate answers to questions due to mishearing.
- Others often sound as if they are mumbling.
Emotional
The emotional signs of hearing loss are how you feel from having difficulty hearing. Here are a few emotional signs:
- Embarrassment when meeting new people and being unable to understand what they say.
- Active avoidance of social situations in which you may not be able to hear well.
- Annoyance when you can’t understand others.
- Stress or anxiety surrounding the difficulty of hearing conversations.
Medical
The medical signs of hearing loss are the physical reactions to having hearing loss. Here are a few of the medical signs:
- High-pitched ringing, roaring, or hissing in the ears.
- Have a medical history of hearing loss in the family.
- Experience pain or itchiness in the ear.
- Experience dizziness or vertigo.
- Have diabetes, or a circulation, heart, or thyroid condition.
- Take ototoxic drugs or other medicines that can affect hearing.
- Have experienced extremely loud sounds over an extended period of time.
If you notice any of these signs, talk to your doctor about the causes of your hearing loss and what solutions are available to you.
Visit Clarity Audiology & Hearing Solutions
Clarity Audiology & Hearing Solutions is an independently-owned and operated clinic that focuses on quality of care and personalized, friendly service. Our Doctors of Audiology are highly trained with advanced degrees and take the time to provide the personalized care and attention that you need and deserve. We provide advanced hearing aid options that personally calibrated with cutting-edge digital technology to fit your hearing loss, your unique ear anatomy, and your individual listening needs. Come in for a walk-in appointment on Tuesdays & Fridays from 10:00am to 11:30am, or contact us to schedule an appointment by calling 410-698-6594 or visiting our contact page. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, and LinkedIn for more blog posts, news, and updates!