health

Signs That a Loved One Is Experiencing Hearing Loss

By  | 

Hearing loss is a condition that happens very gradually and slowly. Unfortunately, there’s not much that can be done about hearing loss as it’s usually a symptom of ageing. In addition, hearing loss typically isn’t reversible, especially if you work in a loud environment or frequently attend concerts. While hearing protection is a great solution for protecting your ears, it’s not always possible to slow or prevent hearing loss especially if it’s age-related.

 

One of the biggest problems with hearing loss is that it’s difficult to tell if you actually have it. Since it happens so slowly, we don’t recognize changes to our hearing until someone tells us or we experience a situation that makes us consider the possibility.

 

If you believe that a loved one may have hearing loss, then here are a couple of signs that you should look out for.

 

Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/66QEF_ZmzKY (CC0)

 

Has your loved one been avoiding social situations?

There are times where your loved one might realize that they could have hearing loss, but they tend to avoid conversations about it because they might be embarrassed, confused, or frustrated. If they seem a lot less social and it’s combined with other signs below, then there’s a good chance that they are fully aware of their hearing loss but may need support in accepting it. It may be a good idea to speak to them about it privately and mention the possibility of hearing loss to encourage them to seek help from a hearing specialist.

Do they ask you to repeat yourself a lot of times?

One of the biggest signs of hearing loss is when a loved one asks you to repeat yourself many times during a single conversation. While this is understandable if there is a lot of noise in the background, you might find that you have to repeat yourself a considerable number of times. You can learn more about how to speak to a loved one that has hearing loss to make it easier for them, and you may also want to encourage them to speak to an audiologist in the future.

Do they frequently say that you’re mumbling?

Your loved one’s hearing loss may start out with them having a tough time following conversations. If they frequently say that you’re mumbling or ask you to speak up, then it may be an early sign of hearing loss. During this stage, your loved one may still be in denial that they have hearing loss, so it might be helpful to gradually mention it to them before suggesting that they visit an audiologist. It’s important not to snap at them when they accuse you of mumbling because it can exacerbate the situation and further push them into denial.

The idea of talking to a loved one about hearing loss can be difficult, but it’s important that you start the conversation in order to encourage them to try and overcome their hearing loss as early as possible. The sooner they seek out a solution, the easier it will be for them to overcome their hearing loss in the future.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply