It’s not always easy to detect hearing loss. A hearing loss may seem obvious, if you can’t hear the TV or your neighbor knocking on the door. It can appear unexpectedly (and you may even overcompensate in other ways).
In addition to being undiagnosed, hearing loss is undertreated in the United States, according to Dr. Gavriel Kohlberg. You may be losing your hearing if you’re experiencing some “regular” annoyances. These signs may indicate hearing loss.
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Requesting Repetitions
In his practice at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Dr. Kareem Tawfik is an otolaryngology assistant professor and a hearing loss specialist. Check if you’re asking loved ones more often than usual to repeat themselves. If you ask your friends and family to repeat what they just said, ask them for their opinion
You Can’t Hear Background Noises
According to Kohlberg, getting your hearing checked if you’re having trouble hearing environmental noises is a good idea. Birds chirping, leaves rustling, and kitchen appliances beeping can be examples of environmental noises.
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Next time you’re taking a walk through nature or doing chores around the house, notice if you’re having trouble hearing some background noises.
You Rely On Lip-Reading.
Most people with hearing loss understand what others are saying by lip-reading. Get a hearing test if you have trouble understanding someone when they’re not facing you (and you can’t see their lips) or wearing a mask. As a result of mask-wearing during the height of the epidemic, many of Tawfik’s patients noticed hearing loss only in retrospect.