Do you find yourself asking people to repeat themselves? Are you concerned that you can’t hear as clearly as you think you should? Hearing loss is more common than you might think. Approximately 60% of Canadians aged 19 to 79 have some kind of hearing health problem. While hearing loss does become more common with age, 9% of Canadians aged 20 to 39 have audiometrically measured hearing loss, and that rate rises to over a quarter (27%) of Canadians aged 40 to 49.
Getting tested for hearing loss can change your life. Hearing aids are programmed based on the results of your hearing test and your preferences and personal needs to restore your hearing.
If you experience or have experienced any of the signs below, booking a hearing test at an audiology clinic like Toronto Hearing Consultants is the first step toward getting your hearing back to normal.
#1 You Have Experienced Exposure to Loud Noise
Exposure to loud noises or trauma can lead to hearing loss. Long-term exposure to noise is common among construction workers, airline workers, workers in manufacturing, carpenters, miners, railway workers, and forestry workers, among others.
One-time exposure to extreme loud noise can also cause trauma to your ears. If you find you hear ringing in your ears, or your hearing doesn’t come back, book a hearing test.
#2 You Have a Medical Conditions Related to Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can be the result of a medical condition. Common medical conditions include otosclerosis, Ménière’s disease, autoimmune inner ear disease, and physical head injuries. An audiologist may be able to help you treat the symptoms of these conditions and restore your hearing with the right hearing aid.
#3 You Hear Ringing in Your Ears
Experiencing a piercing ringing noise in your ears with no source is called tinnitus, and while tinnitus and hearing loss are not necessarily the same thing, about 90% of people with tinnitus also suffer from hearing loss. In many cases, tinnitus can go away with a hearing aid, and it’s worth getting tested for it.
#4 You Struggle to Hear Over Background Noise
It’s no secret that restaurants have become louder over the years. Décor choices that abandoned soft furniture and carpet for modern, hard surfaces have had a profound impact on the acoustics of restaurants.
That said, struggling to hear when you’re out in public or when there is background noise can also be attributed to hearing loss. Once you’re over the age of 55, your hearing tends to deteriorate, even without medical conditions or overexposure to loud noises.
Everyone over the age of 55 should book a baseline hearing test. If you notice that you hearing tends to deteriorate when they’re in louder environments, an audiologist can help prevent progressive hearing loss with the right interventions.
#5 You Find It Difficult to Hear People in Conversations
Do you often find yourself asking friends, family, and coworkers to repeat themselves? It can happen when you’re having a conversation over the phone or in person, even in relatively quiet places. It could be a sign that you have undiagnosed hearing loss. In some cases, it can even manifest as difficulty hearing the difference between consonants.
Even if you feel like you’re too young to have experienced hearing loss, there are a number of reasons you may need a hearing aid, from undiagnosed congenital hearing loss (i.e., you’ve experienced hearing loss since birth) to experiencing trauma to your hearing.
Don’t let hearing loss go undiagnosed. A hearing aid can restore your hearing and relieve the anxiety that can come from missing things in conversations. If any of the five signs above resonate with you, get in touch with an audiologist today.
