How Can You Tell if a Loved One has Hearing Loss?

The experience of hearing loss can be difficult to pin down at first. Often, it manifests gradually and without treatment, can progress further and further. If you have any suspicions that your loved one is experiencing hearing loss without knowing it, here are a few steps you can take to identify it.

They say you are mumbling or slurring your words

Speech can sound indistinct to someone who has hearing loss, especially f, th and s sounds. If they are under the impression you are mumbling or slurring, but you are confident that you are perfectly clear in your speech, they may be experiencing hearing loss.

They can’t hear amongst background noise

If you’re in a train station, restaurant or other public settings with light background noise and they can’t hear what you are saying easily, it might because they have trouble picking out the sounds amongst that background noise. They may seem like they are detached from the conversation or lost in thought often, though it may be just that they aren’t hearing you.

They get tired from conversations

We can all feel like we have social batteries, and a busy day of socializing can drain them, leaving us feeling a little tired. However, if a loved one seems truly exhausted after conversations or meetings, it may be because they are genuinely expending a lot more energy and effort trying to pay attention due to hearing loss.

They have become more socially withdrawn lately

Some people are simply introverts. However, if your loved one used to spend a lot more time socializing but has recently stopped meeting with friends or going out to social situations, it may be due to the fact that they have trouble communicating as a result of hearing loss.

They have trouble following conversations on the phone

If a person with hearing loss has trouble following conversations, their trouble might be compounded when you try to call them on the phone. Poor reception can make phone calls trouble for anyone. However, with hearing loss, it can become even more of a challenge and they may have trouble understanding just about anything you might be saying.

They have trouble hearing women or children

Hearing loss often manifesters as the damaging of hair-like cells in the ear that pick up different kinds of noise. The cells that typically begin to degrade first are those that pick up high-pitched noises. As such, a person with hearing loss might have trouble hearing women or children when they speak. They may also be a little slower to pick up, or might not pick up at all, on noises like microwave beeps, high doorbells or birds chirping.

If the signs above fit your loved one, it might be a good idea to recommend they get in touch with a hearing health professional. The sooner they can get a definitive answer, the better for their hearing health in the long term.