Noise induced hearing loss doesn’t just happen overnight. It creeps up on you over a number of years following exposure to loud noise, particularly as we get older. For this reason, many do not even realise their hearing is deteriorating. However, there are some tell tale signs worth keeping an eye (or ear) out for.
Radio & TV volume
If you notice that over the months and years you require the television or radio volume to become progressively higher than you once did, chances are you’re having hearing issues. Even if this trend is not immediately noticeable, perhaps a friend or relative will have noticed and comment on it.
Conversations
If you often have to ask people to repeat themselves or you’re struggling to keep up whilst conversing with others you might need a hearing test. A person suffering from hearing loss may hear words as muffled as if their ears were covered especially when there is a lot of background noise.
Missed calls
A common sign that someone is losing their hearing is if they find they have more missed calls on their phone or they have been unable to hear the doorbell. Yes, it’s possible that they’re getting more popular instead, however if the phone was at hand or they were at home and still missed the call, it might be hearing problems.
Turning heads
Quite often and without realising, people suffering from hearing loss turn their head so that the ear is pointing towards the source of the sound they are trying to hear. It’s subtle however a fantastic indicator of deafness.
Night time buzzing
If you often hear ringing or buzzing in the ears, particularly at night when you are going to sleep, your hearing could be adversely affected. Ringing and buzzing is closely associated with tinnitus and may get worse overtime.
If you experience any or all of the above on a regular basis, contact your GP who can help determine the cause your hearing loss.
More often than not, people who experience noise induced hearing loss do so because they work or used to work in a loud environment, maybe even without hearing protection as was common during days gone by. This is known as occupational hearing loss and compensation might be owed.
If you would like to learn more about our occupational deafness service or contact us for a free no obligation discussion on how we can help if you think you have been affected by it.
