5 signs it’s time to invest in a hearing aid

Hearing is such an important aspect of our everyday lives. It enables us to communicate with our loved ones and engage with the world around us; however hearing loss is often ignored and overlooked.

Here are 5 signs you may have a hearing loss:

1. It sounds like people are mumbling

You are able to hear someone is talking but it sounds like they are mumbling. While there are some people out there who do mumble, another likely reason is the presence of a hearing loss. A sign of hearing loss is speech no longer sounds clear and the beginnings and ends of words are lost.

2. The TV or radio volume is turned up loud

Are other people complaining you have the TV volume up too loud? Hearing loss often happens so gradually we accommodate by turning the volume up on the TV or use closed captions every now and then. A common sign your hearing has deteriorated is the TV volume is too loud for others around you.

3. You struggle to hear in background noise

While many restaurants and cafes are fairly noisy today, another reason you may struggle in these settings is because you have a decline in your hearing. Hearing loss creates difficulty filtering out background noise reducing your ability to focus on the speaker you are wishing to hear. If you just can’t make out what people are saying when there is background noise, it may be time to have your hearing tested.

4. Long conversations are exhausting

If you find yourself overcome by exhaustion after long conversations, it’s an indicator that you’d benefit from hearing aids. Hearing loss creates many gaps in our hearing. To follow conversations our brains must to fill in the missing information in order to understand what is being said. This creates a lot more processing than for those without a hearing loss and can results in significant fatigue.

5. Group conversations are impossible to follow

Group conversations can be difficult for anyone. People often talk over each other, speak at a faster pace and use loud voices to be heard. On top of this, they mostly take place in restaurants and cafes with competing background noise. Group conversations, however, are particularly difficult for those with hearing loss. Once you fall behind in the conversation it makes it very challenging to catch up. If you find you are avoiding group conversations or reducing the number of people you socialize with, this may be a sign your hearing is not what it used to be.

Thankfully, hearing aids can assist with these common problems of hearing loss.

Contact the experienced audiologists at Hearing Innovations on 02 9327 6611 for a consultation.