Many people think of hearing loss as something that’s reserved for older generations, as you typically see elderly people with hearing aids or struggling to hear. While the majority of hearing loss cases do occur in older people, you shouldn’t think that you are immune to these problems. Hearing loss is something that can develop at any stage in our lives, and several lifestyle factors may make you more susceptible to it. These are the 5 common symptoms of hearing loss to be aware of so that you can see if an issue may be creeping up in your hearing or the hearing of your loved ones.

1.   Straining Yourself to Hear Others

Although most types of hearing loss gradually happen over time, if you do notice that you’re beginning to strain yourself in order to hear the people around you, it could be a sign of underlying hearing loss. Be sure to make regular assessments on how you feel, both physically and mentally after a day when you’re talking with coworkers or family members. You shouldn’t have to overstrain yourself just to listen to someone speak, so it’s best to see a qualified audiologist.

2.   Struggling in Noisy Restaurants

As much as we love going out to trendy new restaurants to eat, it can sometimes be tricky to hear what everyone at the table is saying. If you are really struggling in those noisier environments and can’t distinguish between the background noise, it might be a good time to go for a hearing test. No one likes to be left out of social interactions like this, so you should never ignore the issue if it’s affecting your quality of life.

3.   Difficulty Distinguishing Consonants

One of the main symptoms of hearing loss is when a person thinks people they are talking to are mumbling. Although some people do generally mumble when they speak, if you’re noticing in every conversation that you’re having trouble distinguishing consonants such as “s” and “f” sounds in speech, this could be a symptom of hearing loss.

4.   Turning Up the TV

If you’re finding that you need to keep cranking up the TV to a higher and higher volume level you could be experiencing hearing loss. This is one of those symptoms that we often don’t think about until someone comes around and questions why the TV is so loud. Keep a note of the volume number on your TV and see whether this starts to creep up over time.

5.   Trouble With Higher Frequencies

Depending on who you’re speaking with or what you’re listening to on a daily basis, you might start to notice that you’re having trouble hearing higher frequencies. For example, women generally speak at a higher frequency and pitch, which can make hearing groups of women more tricky than if you were speaking with a man with a lower-pitched voice.

Hearing Test

If you’re experiencing some of these common symptoms, don’t try and put off the issue any longer. Book yourself in to get a hearing test in Perth so that you can have a professional audiologist assess your level of hearing. You want to be optimising your quality of life wherever you can, and a hearing test can help you discover the next step in improving your hearing.