Signs of hearing loss: when should you take a hearing test?

Recognising hearing loss: the most common warning signs

In most cases hearing loss develops gradually. Over months and years we get used to our declining hearing without consciously noticing it. Yet early detection is exactly what makes a successful fitting possible. As a master hearing care professional, I see it every day in our stores in Glückstadt, Horst, Wedel, Barmstedt and Itzehoe: customers are surprised when they find out how much they have already been missing.

The 7 most common signs of hearing loss

If one or more of the following points sounds familiar, you should consider a hearing test:

1. You often ask others to repeat themselves. This is one of the most obvious signs, and it is still frequently dismissed as inattention.
2. The television is too loud. If your family or the people you live with regularly comment that the TV is turned up too high, that can be a clear signal.
3. Conversations in noisy places are hard work. Restaurants, family gatherings or meetings become exhausting because you can no longer pick out individual voices clearly.
4. High tones disappear. Birdsong, the ring of the telephone or children's voices become quieter or vanish altogether.
5. You feel drained after conversations. So-called listening effort is typical: your brain is working harder to process speech.
6. You avoid social situations. Many people with hearing loss withdraw without realising it, because conversation has become too much effort.
7. Ringing in the ears (tinnitus). A constant whistling, rushing or humming sound can accompany hearing loss.

Self-check: 5 questions to assess yourself

Answer these questions honestly with yes or no:

• Do you feel that people around you speak indistinctly?
• Do you have to turn up the volume on phone calls?
• Do you avoid group conversations because you cannot follow everything?
• Do you find it difficult to hold conversations in cars or on public transport?
• Has someone close to you suggested that you get your hearing checked?

If you answered yes to two or more questions, we recommend a hearing test, with us or at your ENT practice.

Why early detection matters so much

The brain unlearns abilities it does not use. When certain frequencies go unheard for years, the nerve cells responsible for them in the auditory centre waste away. Specialists call this auditory deprivation. The longer hearing loss goes untreated, the harder it becomes to adapt to a hearing aid later on.

People who hear poorly often withdraw, because conversations become tiring. Professional societies therefore recommend treating hearing loss early, and not only once it shapes everyday life.

From what age does a regular hearing test make sense?

As a general rule we recommend:

• From age 50: a hearing test every two years
• From age 60: annually
• With risk factors (noise exposure at work, family history, certain medications): regularly, regardless of age

A free hearing test at Elbe Akustik

At Elbe Akustik we offer you a free, no-obligation hearing test at all five of our stores in Schleswig-Holstein. The test takes about 15 minutes and covers:

• Pure-tone audiometry: measuring your hearing across different frequencies
• Speech audiometry: how well do you understand spoken language?
• Personal evaluation: a detailed explanation of the results
• Advice: no-obligation recommendations for your next steps

Our team, including my business partner Jann Clausen (B.Sc. Hearing Aid Acoustics) and myself, takes time for every concern. We want you to understand what we measure and what the results mean.

Important: a hearing test with us does not replace an ENT diagnosis. If we suspect a cause that needs medical treatment, we will of course refer you to a specialist.

The next step

Do not wait until hearing loss noticeably restricts your daily life. The earlier you act, the better the outcome.

Book your free hearing test now, in Glückstadt, Horst, Wedel, Barmstedt or Itzehoe. We look forward to seeing you.