Six flags that it might be time.
If you can answer “yes” to three or more of the following questions, you should make an appointment to have an audiogram administered by a professional. An audiogram is an in-depth test of your hearing levels to determine if you are missing sounds, where (high or low frequency), and if one or both of your ears are affected. This is not an online test, but one where an in-person appointment is required.
- You already have documented hearing loss on file. You might have had work exposure to loud noises (airports, manufacturing jobs, mowers, sirens, professional musician), fireworks or gunshots, medications with side effects or multiple ear infections, or an intense trauma to your ears.
2. You hear but don’t understand. Events with large groups used to be fun, but now it seems like you miss much of what is said. People with softer voices are really not enjoyable to talk with, since you have to ask them to repeat everything. Why do they speak so annoyingly quietly?
3. You avoid crowded places with lots of background noise now. Coffee shops with loud espresso machines, music and conversation. Your favorite grocery on a Saturday morning is overwhelming and you avoid it now. Rochester festivals now make your head spin and you’ve stopped going.
4. You’ve stopped doing the things you love and cancel plans with people you adore. A hearing aid could put you back on track to doing all of the things you could be doing. Did you stop taking lessons because you couldn’t hear the instructor talking? Has it been too long since you spent time at church services or enjoyed a theater production? Your friends miss you.
5. People tell you not to talk so loudly. The volume seems fine to you, but others always react like you are using your outdoor voice. If you are getting “shushed,” you might be overcompensating for not being able to hear yourself at an accurate sound level.
6. Everyone complains about your TV/music volume – except you. If your family feels like every movie is in surround sound from the other room, it’s likely you need to have the volume way too high to follow the plot.
How did you do? If this questionnaire left you thinking there is room for improvement, it’s time to find out how well you are actually hearing. Today’s hearing aid and instrument options span all budgets and blend beautifully into your skin tone and hair color for invisible and powerful support. Bluetooth connectivity to phones and new TVs creates a seamless, user-friendly platform that allows you to get back in the game.
Untreated hearing loss of a moderate to high level results in social isolation and depression, and even contributes to early onset dementia. Need to schedule a hearing evaluation? Reach out to our office for an appointment. You’ll feel better that you have taken control of the situation for the better.