Hearing Loss Symptoms: Early Signs and When to Seek Help

Hearing loss is an issue that a lot of people face, and the WHO reports that as many as 2.5 billion people will have some degree of hearing loss by 2050.

In some cases, this is avoidable. It's important to note that our hearing often gets worse as we age, so this is a challenge that's more commonly faced by seniors.

People can benefit from living in an environment that caters to needs such as hearing loss. You may be considering senior living in San Ramon as a result.

Below, we'll take a look at some key hearing loss symptoms and early signs to look for, as well as what you can do to make things easier for yourself. Keep reading for more.

Causes of Hearing Loss

Some people simply experience hearing loss as they age. However, there can be various factors that impact the speed and severity of hearing loss. Understanding these makes it easier to take preventative measures to avoid early hearing decline.

Damage to the Inner Ear

There are hairs and nerve cells in the cochlea which send sound signals to the brain. Both loud noises and aging can wear these down, making it more difficult for them to send electrical signals properly.

Damage to the inner ear often makes high-pitched tones sound muffled. It can also make it more difficult to differentiate between words and background noise.

Buildup of Earwax

Wax can build up in the ear canal over time and cause a blockage. Sound waves have a hard time passing through this.

Fortunately, dealing with this kind of hearing impairment typically isn't too tricky. You can get earwax removal, which should restore your hearing to normal.

Ear Infection, Unusual Bone Growths, and Tumors

These can occur in the outer or middle ear and can vary significantly. You will need to contact a medical professional to get their advice on dealing with such issues.

Ruptured Eardrum

Your eardrum could rupture in various ways, such as:

Exposure to loud blasts of noise
Poking the eardrum with an object
Sudden changes in pressure
Infection

A ruptured eardrum can impact your hearing and may be quite painful.

Common Hearing Loss Symptoms

Depending on the cause of your hearing loss, it could be quite sudden, which is often easily noticeable. However, if it happens slowly with time, you may not be aware of it. There are some key signs you can look for when it comes to detecting hearing loss.

Children's Voices Sound Muffled or Unclear

Having trouble hearing people talking is a clear sign of hearing loss, and this can be more common when talking to children. If your inner ear is damaged, high-pitched sounds are the first to become unclear, so anyone with a high-pitched voice is more likely to be hard to hear.

Difficulty Following Conversations in Noisy Places

Compared to voices, the background noise in places like restaurants and malls tends to have quite a low pitch. As such, you'll often hear this sound more clearly than the voices of people around you. The brain also processes sounds differently as we get older which can make ignoring background noise more difficult.

Exhaustion From Social Events

Social events can be draining, but even more so if you're struggling to hear people talking. If you can't hear everything that someone is saying, your brain will try to fill in the gaps.

This takes a lot of focus, especially in busy settings where a lot of people are talking. As a result, you might feel more tired than usual after social events.

Watching People's Lips Instead of Making Eye Contact

If one sense isn't working properly, your brain might use others to try to compensate. As a result, you might find yourself relying on your eyesight, reading people's lips to better understand what they're saying. You'll likely do this subconsciously, but after some time you may notice yourself doing it more often.

Your Ears Feel Clogged

If your ears feel like they're clogged, there's a good chance that they are. Too much wax or fluid in your ears can make hearing difficult. A doctor will be able to confirm this.

If your doctor says your ears are clear, consider hearing screenings. There may be another issue, and you'll want to determine what it is.

You Keep Raising Your TV Volume

When watching TV, you'll hear a blend of tones. If low tones are easier to hear than high ones, you might find ourself putting your TV on a higher volume so you can make out what characters are saying. If others around you feel that your TV is too loud, you should probably get your hearing checked.

Coping With Hearing Loss

Senior auditory health can decline quickly. It's important to take protective measures where you can.

Try to avoid your exposure to loud noises. Quiet environments will make it easier for you to hear people and will have less of a negative impact on your ear.

It can be worth considering assisted living in San Ramon. Senior living communities are naturally peaceful, so you shouldn't have many issues having comfortable conversations with people around you.

If your hearing seems to be declining, you should have it tested. You may not know the cause, but finding out can help you prevent things from getting worse.

If you know you're going to be in a loud environment, ear protection can be helpful. Plan ahead so you can work to maintain your hearing.

How Can San Ramon Assisted Living Help?

If you're experiencing any hearing loss symptoms, you should have your hearing checked by a professional. In most cases, one of the best things you can do is stick to environments that don't make things worse, and a senior living community can be perfect for this.

The Watermark at San Ramon is dedicated to providing exceptional, personalized care to meet the needs of every resident. Whether you want to opt for assisted living or memory care in San Ramon, CA, we can provide a welcoming environment that focuses on the well-being and happiness of everyone who stays with us.