Hearing loss is invisible, comes on gradually, and usually doesn’t hurt—so how do you know something is going on? The following questions will help you determine whether you should have a hearing evaluation:
- Do you have a problem hearing on the telephone?
- Do you have trouble following the conversation when two people are talking at the same time?
- Do people complain that your TV is too loud?
- Do you strain to understand conversations?
- Do you have trouble hearing in a noisy background?
- Do you ask people to repeat?
- Do people seem to mumble?
- Do you misunderstand what others are saying and respond inappropriately?
- Do you have trouble understanding the speech of women and children?
- Do people get annoyed because you don’t understand what they say?
If you answered yes to two or more of these questions give me a call! The average person with gradual-onset hearing loss waits seven years before doing something about it. Think of all you’ll miss if you wait that long!
The questions above were adapted from an NIDCD Information Clearinghouse handout.
www.nidcd.nih.gov