We often take it for granted, but hearing plays an important role in the quality of our lives, from our emotional well-being and physical health to our careers and leisure activities. Yet many people do not realize when they have suffered hearing damage. Hearing damage can occur at any time, at any age. You don't have to be very old. Prevention and early detection of hearing damage are therefore very important.
How do you get hearing damage?
Hearing damage can have various causes. Exposure to loud noise is a common cause of this. Infections are also a common cause, as are birth defects, old age, genetics and individual sensitivity to noise, long-term (chronic) conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and reaction to drugs, especially chemotherapy or drugs used to treat cancer . But there are many more things that can lead to hearing damage. So don't wait until you start noticing signs of hearing damage. Have your hearing checked regularly, especially if you are in the risk group.
Signs that you may have hearing damage
Difficulty understanding words during a conversation
It's not uncommon to miss a few words here or there when talking to someone. Especially not if you are in a noisy environment. However, if you have trouble hearing people speak in a quiet environment and find yourself having to ask them to repeat what they have said several times, you may have hearing loss.
You don't hear the alarm
Alarm clocks are designed to be loud. If you wake up late in the morning despite having a fully functional alarm clock, your ears may not be picking up high-frequency sounds.
The family (or your neighbor!) complains that your TV is too loud Turning up the TV now and then because you can't hear something can be normal. But if you consistently have to turn up the TV so loud that it's uncomfortable for others in the room or your neighbors can hear it, it's time to get a hearing test.
A decrease in extroversion
Do you find yourself suddenly avoiding conversations because it's harder to understand them? Hearing damage can make new social interactions (which can already be tense) seem even more awkward when you have trouble hearing multiple people talking at the same time.
Loss of balance
If you feel a little dizzy or off-balance while walking in a straight line, this could indicate hearing damage. Loss of balance is usually related to medical conditions that can cause pressure in the ears, as well as dizziness.
Pain in one or both ears
If you suffer from earache, it is possible that you have an ear infection. Infections in the middle ear can lead to hearing loss. Ear infections are common in children and can cause fever or irritability.
You often say “What?”
If you can't hear a coworker mumbling a few feet away, it doesn't mean you have hearing loss. Like what?" However, becoming the most used word in your vocabulary can mean that you are not getting the sound signals you need to process speech correctly.
You have to make an effort to hear conversations
It is mentally and physically exhausting to constantly try to hear and follow a conversation. This can leave you feeling exhausted even after a normal day. So if a typical day of talking to colleagues, friends and family gives you a headache or makes you feel physically tired, you could have hearing damage.
If you think you may be suffering from an early form of hearing loss, a hearing amplifier is an option to consider. Hearing amplifiers ensure that the ambient sound is collected in a microphone and is amplified in your ear. With the help of the hearing amplifier you can better understand speech and hear sounds better. Hearing amplifiers are more inconspicuous than hearing aids. The sooner you wear hearing amplifiers, the safer your hearing will be! Here you can compare hearing amplifiers.
