Signs & Symptoms of Hearing Loss

Signs and symptoms of hearing loss vary from person to person. Signs you may have a hearing loss include:

• Conversations are difficult to understand, especially when there is background noise
• Television is difficult to understand
• Certain sounds seem overly loud or irritating
• Speech of others seems mumbled or slurred
• Tinnitus (a ringing or other sound in one or both ears)

The following test may be useful for you to determine if you have hearing loss:

If you are not sure about your hearing, ask yourself the following questions. If you answer "yes" to three or more of these questions, you could have a hearing problem and need to have your hearing checked by an audiologist.

• Do I have a problem hearing on the telephone?
• Do I often ask people to repeat themselves?
• Do I have trouble hearing the other person speaking when there is noise in the background?
• Is it hard for me to follow a conversation when two or more people talk at once?
• Do many people I talk to seem to mumble or not speak clearly?
• Do I misunderstand what others are saying and respond inappropriately?
• Do I have trouble understanding the speech of women and children?
• Do people complain that I turn the TV volume up too high?
• Do I hear a ringing, roaring, or hissing sound a lot?
• Do some sounds seem too loud or too soft?

(Adapted from the NIH Senior Health)

If you have answered yes to three or more of the above questions, you should be evaluated by an experienced audiologist, who can recommend further treatment if needed. Treatment may include the use of a hearing aid.