People may experience hearing loss at almost any age. Some babies may experience hearing loss inside the birth canal. However, hearing loss is normally associated with aging. Look for the following signs of hearing loss.

You find yourself speaking more loudly or quietly than normal. Many times people with hearing loss begin to have difficulty in hearing their own voice. Without realizing it, they may be speaking much louder than the rest of the crowd. If a spouse or other loved one has made note of the loud conversation, the person may overcompensate and speak very softly.

Whenever anyone else comes into the room, they insist on turning the volume of the television down. With beginning hearing loss, many people find it easy to compensate by turning up the volume of the television.

Another sign of hearing loss is difficulty hearing on the phone. Many modern phones have a volume control, and you may find yourself constantly at battle with other family members as you turn the volume up and they turn it down. Cell phones cause even more problems for people with hearing loss. Often the volume on the conversation cannot be turned to an acceptable volume for those with hearing loss. Ringer volumes of cell phones also pose a problem for those with hearing loss. Many times calls are missed since the ring tone is never heard.

Some persons with hearing loss experienced the loss at an early age. In some ways, this may be an advantage as they learn to read lips to compensate for the loss. Some persons with significant hearing loss do not realize the loss until vision changes make it difficult for them to “hear.” You may notice that lip readers position themselves in such a way as to have a direct line of sight with the other person in the conversation. Persons who read lips may have difficulty understanding persons with mustaches.

Some persons with hearing loss will dominate a conversation. They find it easier to continue talking rather than face a question that they may not understand.

Persons with Hearing Aids may find that families and friends are suddenly reminding them of promises of which the person with a hearing loss does not remember. As you subconscious brain tries to fill in the gaps that you did not hear, you may agree to something without realizing it. If this has ever happened to you, you made need to get batteries for hearing aids.

It your hearing loss is beginning to cause any of the above difficulties, you should see your Florida Audiologist. A doctor or hearing professional can check your ear canals for anything that might be blocking sounds from your eardrum. Sometimes removing a wax buildup in the ear can restore hearing.

Tags: birth canal, signs of hearing loss, vision changes, people with hearing loss, loud conversation