What are the symptoms of hearing loss?
Most hearing losses occur gradually, so the symptoms are often difficult to recognise. People might begin turning up the volume on the TV, or asking other people to repeat themselves. They tend to forget how things sound. They start to live in a quieter world, unaware that they are missing the softer sounds of everyday life, like the falling of rain or birds singing.
The following list may alert you to common symptoms of hearing loss. Please note that symptoms for adults are different to those of infants.
Symptoms in Adults
If you, or someone you know, are experiencing one or more of the following problems, then a hearing loss may be present:
1) People seem to be mumbling
2) You have to strain to hear when someone talks or whispers
3) Difficulties in hearing someone call from behind or from another room
4) You need to watch a speaker's lips more closely to follow conversation
5) Following a conversation is difficult when you're in a group of people, for example at a meeting, at church, or lectures
6) You have to turn up the volume on the TV or radio
7) Problems hearing clearly on the telephone
8) Hearing difficulties at the theatre, cinema, or other entertainment venues
9) It's hard to hear in noisy environments, for example in a restaurant or in a car
10) You are limiting your social activities due to difficulty with hearing and communicating
11) Family, friends, or colleagues mention that they often have to repeat themselves
How much noise is safe?
Occupational Safety and Health experts have determined that the maximum time that you can safely be exposed to different time-weighted averages (TWAs) of sound pressure on a daily basis over a 40-year period as follows:
TWA Decibel Levels for Maximum Exposure
85 dB 8 hours
88 dB 4 hours
91 dB 2 hours
94 dB 1 hour
97 dB 30 minutes
100 dB 15 minutes
103 dB 7-1/2 minutes
106 dB 3-3/4 minutes
Exposure to 115+ dB or greater may pose a serious health risk. (These figures are the recommeded maximum averages without hearing protectors)
If you have any doubts or concerns for your hearing, please feel free to contact one of our caring professionals for advice. For contact information, click HERE
"For years I felt that people mumbled, or did not speak clearly enough."