Are you seeing (or hearing) the signs? A study from John Hopkins show that 30 percent of Americans in their 40s and 50s have auditory issues. If you include the baby boomer generation, the real count is probably closer to 40 percent of people over age 50. That means that 40 Million people in America could have hearing loss! As you may know, hearing loss progresses over time, but there are some telling signs that you or a loved one may need a hearing evaluation.
1. Women and children’s voices are difficult to understand. They speak softer and also at higher frequencies which are usually the first levels to.
2. You were a die-hard live music fan with a Rolling Stones shirt in another life. Live music is an amazing experience but it can have lifelong hearing consequences.
3. You have significant ringing in your ears throughout the day. This condition, called tinnitus, can be caused from prolonged or sudden loud noises and many times it will correspond with hearing loss.
4. You worked in loud places or are the designated lawn mower/ handy-person of the household. If you work around loud machinery for longer than 30 minutes a day, you will have a much higher risk of getting hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss makes up over a quarter of all cases of hearing loss.
5. You have diabetes, hearing problems, dementia or are a heavy smoker. Scientists have found significant links between these ailments and hearing loss progression.
6. You sometimes have difficulty understanding speech on the telephone, TV or radio. Speech can diminish from louder background music or bass tones.
7. It seems people are mumbling or not speaking very clearly. You may notice that you constantly ask them to speak up or repeat themselves.
8. It’s difficult to follow a conversation in a noisy restaurant or crowded meeting room. Group conversations can be particularly difficult, especially when dealing with cross-talk.
9. Others are telling you that you have hearing difficulties. It’s very common that family and friends are likely to be the first to notice some difficulty with your hearing before you will.
10. Your personal amplifier device isn’t helping as much as you wish it would. Personal sound amplifiers are great for people needing volume assistance, but hearing loss progression is best served by hearing aid technology that will help provide better speech comprehension in different noise environments.
If you or a loved one find that any of the above are true, then it’s time for a hearing evaluation. Give us a call or submit your information on our Contact Us page and we’ll respond in a timely manner to set up your complimentary hearing consultation appointment.
