Do You Need a Hearing Aid? Signs to Watch For

It is hardly an earth-shattering event to need to ask for clarification if you don't hear you conversational partner every now and then. Likewise, if you miss some soft dialogue in a movie that's been poorly mixed, you probably don't need to rush to the doctor. On the other hand, millions of Americans underestimate the degree of auditory loss they are experiencing. This leads many to skip getting the diagnosis and treatment they could benefit from, such as a hearing aid. If you are wondering whether or not you might be a candidate, here are some signs to watch out for. Any one may not mean much in isolation, but if you start seeing these things on a regular basis, it might be of concern. Muffled Sounds One of the telltale signs of auditory damage is muffled speech and sound. If you damaged your ears overnight, you would recognize instantly the muffled sounds suddenly surrounding you. If you've ever left a loud rock concert and marveled at how everything sounded as if you were underwater, you've already experienced this phenomenon. What's insidious about slow, progressive auditory loss, though, is that the sufferer is often completely unaware that anything has changed. That is, until additional signs begin to show up. Misunderstood Speech One of the first things someone with noise damage or other forms of auditory loss will notice is their inability to understand what others are saying. In some cases, there will seem to be no loss of volume, which is another reason many don't realize what the problem is. While the volume seems to be the same, though, the words become mushy and hard to parse. If you've ever tried to follow a conversation in another language, you might have an idea of how this might seem. Cranking the Volume Take special notice of how often you find yourself reaching for the volume knob on your electronics. Now, many people who wind up needing a hearing aid are already accustomed to enjoying music and possibly even television at high volumes. This volume increase has led to many an individual's auditory loss in the first place. But if you find yourself turning up your music or the TV not because you like it loud, but because you simply can't understand it at a lower volume, it could be a sign that you need to get your ears checked. See a Doctor If the signs and symptoms of auditory loss get to the point that they are interfering with your ability to live a normal life, it's time to make an appointment with a doctor. Getting a hearing aid or some other form of treatment could be the best thing for your future. Misunderstood Speech One of the first things someone with noise damage or other forms of auditory loss will notice is their inability to understand what others are saying. In some cases, there will seem to be no loss of volume, which is another reason many don't realize what the problem is. While the volume seems to be the same, though, the words become mushy and hard to parse. If you've ever tried to follow a conversation in another language, you might have an idea of how this might seem. Cranking the Volume Take special notice of how often you find yourself reaching for the volume knob on your electronics. Now, many people who wind up needing a hearing aid are already accustomed to enjoying music and possibly even television at high volumes. This volume increase has led to many an individual's auditory loss in the first place. But if you find yourself turning up your music or the TV not because you like it loud, but because you simply can't understand it at a lower volume, it could be a sign that you need to get your ears checked. See a Doctor If the signs and symptoms of auditory loss get to the point that they are interfering with your ability to live a normal life, it's time to make an appointment with a doctor. Getting a hearing aid or some other form of treatment could be the best thing for your future.