Hearing Screening
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September 18, 2018
10 Signs You Might Need a Hearing Aid
Don't Miss Out on Life's Beautiful Sounds!
Hearing loss can be a subtle but significant barrier to enjoying life to the fullest. If you’re finding it harder to follow conversations, missing out on important sounds, or feeling isolated due to hearing difficulties, it might be time to consider a hearing aid. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the key signs that indicate you might need a hearing aid. Don’t let hearing loss hold you back – discover the world of possibilities that clear hearing can offer.
Table of Contents
Approximately 50% of individuals aged 75 years and beyond encounters a diminution of 35 decibels or more in their auditory acuity—a juncture necessitating the employment of a hearing augmentation device. The younger generations are catching up too.
How common is hearing loss?
Hearing loss is a common concern in today’s loud and noisy society, affecting people of all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The most common sensory deficiency among individuals today is hearing loss.
Hearing loss affects around 20% of the world’s population.
According to WHO, roughly 63 million people in India experience Significant Auditory Impairment. The number is mind-boggling.
According to the NSSO study, 291 people per lakh had severe to profound hearing loss (NSSO, 2001). A significant number of these are youngsters aged 0 to 14 years old. Additional data points to widespread hearing loss among those aged 21 and about.
Hearing loss is no longer restricted to the elderly.
However, your hearing loss need not stop you from having a beautiful life. You just need a hearing aid.
According to the 2021 study, individuals who use headphones in an already noisy environment are at a 4.5-fold higher risk of hearing loss.
How do you know that you might need a hearing aid?
Wondering how to determine if you need a hearing aid?
By now you are perplexed by the statistics and feel conscious of your auditory health. It is crucial to be concerned whether you may or may not have a hearing issue. Most people are in denial.
You must know your auditory health is crucial to maintaining a quality life as it plays a pivotal role in effective communication and social interactions.
There are 10 simple signs that you can self-analyze and check your auditory health.
1. You are struggling to follow conversations
Do you often find yourself straining to hear and understand conversations, especially in noisy environments? Difficulty following discussions, particularly when multiple people are talking, is a classic sign of hearing loss. Missing out on the nuances of conversations can lead to frustration.
2. You keep asking questions repeatedly
If you frequently ask people to repeat themselves or misunderstand what they’re saying, it’s a clear indication that your hearing might not be as sharp as it used to be. This can be embarrassing and can impact your communication skills.
3. Increasing volume on devices
Do you often increase the volume on your TV, radio, or phone? If you find yourself turning up the volume to levels that others consider too loud, it could be due to hearing loss.
4. Avoiding social gatherings
Hearing loss can make social interactions challenging, leading to feelings of isolation and withdrawal. If you find yourself avoiding gatherings and events because it’s difficult to keep up with conversations, it’s time to consider a hearing aid.
Straining to hear and understand conversations can be mentally exhausting. If you frequently feel drained after social interactions, it could be due to the extra effort you’re putting into processing sound. It is an important marker to take notice of.
5. Some sounds seem louder than normal
Do you get easily startled by loud noises? It’s due to a process known as “recruitment,” which is typical among persons with hearing loss. It occurs because you do not lose all of the hair cells in your ear at once. Louder noises cause healthy cells to respond with more intensity than they normally would, thus louder sounds might be more startling or could even sound distorted.
6. Noticing a decrease in alertness
Hearing loss can impact your overall alertness and awareness of your surroundings. If you’ve found that you’re startled more easily because you didn’t hear someone approaching or a sudden noise, you have a situation.
7. You have trouble following a conversation when people are talking at the same time
It is our ability to process several incoming and conflicting signals that deteriorate with time; occasionally becoming lost in the conversation isn’t usually a symptom of hearing loss. However, if you’re in a work meeting or eating dinner with family and you regularly struggle to keep up while two or more people are speaking at the same time, you may have developed hearing loss.
8. You fail to remember certain details that others tell you
It’s tough to recall information that you don’t hear clearly. And trying to grasp what someone is saying strains your short-term memory.
Consider the preceding line in the film Sholay. To make it simpler to recall, your mind groups information together – actors, characters, dialogues, and so on.
People with hearing loss, on the other hand, miss many sounds, so they must keep all of these random bits and pieces in their short-term memory until they can fill in the blanks to make sense of a phrase. It works occasionally and not always.
9. Missing Everyday Sounds
Are you losing out on every day sounds like the rustling of leaves, the ticking of a clock, or the hum of the refrigerator? These seemingly little noises enhance our sensory experience and quality of life.
10. Family and Friends Express Concerns
Often, loved ones are the first to notice changes in our hearing. If your family and friends have expressed concerns about your ability to hear, it’s essential to take their observations seriously.
If you are noticing these signs and behavioral changes in you, visit a hearing clinic and get a few simple auditory tests done. These are non-invasive and cause no pain. Get a hearing aid, if required. It is beneficial for not just you but people in your family and close proximity.
At C.C. Saha Ltd., we provide a comprehensive range of hearing solutions that include the testing of a patient’s ability to detect tones at different frequencies. Our highly skilled Audiologists conduct a thorough examination, taking into account the patient’s hearing loss history, lifestyle choices, and needs, and then recommend the best possible hearing solution.
We are present across the city of Kolkata, at Esplanade, Prince Anwar Shah Road, Dunlop, Salt Lake, and Barasat. We also have clinics at Midnapore and Burdwan.
1. What are the top 10 signs that I might need a hearing aid?
The top signs include struggling to follow conversations, frequently asking people to repeat themselves, increasing the TV volume, avoiding social events, hypersensitivity to certain sounds, reduced alertness, trouble following group conversations, forgetting verbal details, missing everyday sounds, and family or friends expressing concern.
2. How do I know if I have hearing loss or just temporary ear fatigue?
If you consistently experience difficulty hearing in various situations—especially over weeks or months—it may signal hearing loss rather than temporary fatigue. A professional hearing test is the best way to find out.
3. Is hearing loss really that common?
Yes. Over 430 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss, according to the WHO. It’s more common with age but can affect people of all ages.
4. Can turning up the TV volume be an early sign of hearing loss?
Absolutely. If others complain that your TV or music is too loud, but it sounds just right to you, it could indicate reduced hearing sensitivity.
5. Why do I feel left out in conversations even when I’m trying to focus?
This is a classic sign of hearing loss. Your brain is working harder to fill in the blanks, especially in group conversations or noisy places.
6. What does it mean if I keep asking people to repeat themselves?
If you’re often saying “What?” or “Sorry, can you repeat that?” it may be time for a hearing check. This repetitive pattern is a red flag.
7. Why do I avoid social gatherings lately?
Many people with hearing loss unknowingly withdraw from social settings because they find it hard to keep up with conversations or feel embarrassed.
8. Are loud or sharp sounds feeling uncomfortable or painful lately?
When some sounds feel uncomfortably loud or even distorted, it may signal sensorineural hearing loss, where certain sound frequencies become hard to process.
9. How does hearing loss affect my alertness?
Hearing loss can reduce awareness of your environment—like not hearing doorbells, alarms, or your name being called—which impacts your daily safety and alertness.
10. Is it normal to miss parts of conversations in noisy environments?
If you’re missing key information when several people are speaking or if there’s background noise, it could be a sign of hearing damage—not just poor concentration.
11. Could hearing loss cause memory issues?
Yes, indirectly. If your brain is straining to hear, it’s taking up cognitive resources, which can reduce memory retention, especially for verbal details.
12. What are “everyday sounds” I might be missing without realizing?
Birds chirping, ticking clocks, footsteps, phone notifications, or your own voice echoing—these small losses often go unnoticed until someone points them out.
13. Why do my friends and family think I need hearing help even if I feel fine?
Because hearing loss is gradual, others may notice it before you do. Their feedback can be a valuable early warning sign.
14. What should I do if I relate to multiple signs on this list?
Book a professional hearing test immediately. The earlier hearing loss is detected, the better your outcomes with hearing aids or other solutions.
15. Is there a way to try hearing aids before buying them?
Yes! CC Saha Ltd. hearing clinics offer Free Hearing Aid Trials. It’s a great way to experience the benefits firsthand before making a decision. For details call toll free → 1800 570 9933 [Mon – Sat, 10am – 6pm]
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