If you have a hearing loss, sounds may seem loud enough, but not clear. People may seem to be mumbling or talking too quickly. Quiet sounds, such as a clock ticking, birds singing, or voices from another room, just cannot be heard as well as before. You may hear some people’s voices better than others. You may find that facing the speaker helps you to hear better. It is difficult to understand what is being said in a group when there is any background noise. Group conversations are more and more difficult to follow. You might find that meetings, groups, parties, and movies are not as rewarding as before. It is harder to keep up with small talk. You may favor one ear over the other. You need to ask for things to be repeated.
Sometimes, you misunderstand what has been said. Others may tell you that you have the radio or television turned up “too loud” or that you speak too loudly or too softly. You may be startled when someone enters the room. You may have difficulty locating the source or direction of sounds. Loud sounds may seem more sharp and annoying than before. You may hear ringing or buzzing in your ears. Read through the following checklist. If you answer yes to more than five of the signs and symptoms listed, see your physician and then get a thorough hearing evaluation by an audiologist.
Common Signs and Symptoms of Hearing Loss
Do you…
- frequently have to ask for repetition?
- have trouble hearing when you are spoken to from another room?
- feel that you hear sound but do not understand speech clearly?
- feel that people are mumbling?
- have trouble hearing when there is noise around you?
- need to turn the radio or TV volume up loud to hear well?
- have difficulty hearing women’s or children’s voices?
- have to turn one ear toward the person speaking?
- have trouble hearing when you can’t see the speaker’s face?
- need to be close to the person speaking?
- become anxious or tired in social situations because you cannot understand
- what is said?
- have to strain to hear?
- frequently misunderstand what is said?
- have ringing or buzzing in your ear(s)?
Do others tell you that you…
- do not react to loud sounds?
- do not respond when spoken to?
- turn the radio or TV volume up too high?
- speak loudly or shout in conversation?
- are missing what is being said?
- do not hear sounds coming from behind you?
- have had a change in your speech?
CaptionCall is a revolutionary phone for anyone with hearing loss. CaptionCall offers amplification and superb sound quality while displaying smooth-scrolling captions of what callers say on a large, easy-to-read screen. It enables people to use the phone again with confidence!
As a provision of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the U.S. federal government established a fund to give individuals with hearing loss access to captioned telephone service at no cost. CaptionCall is an FCC-authorized captioned telephone service provider, and is compensated by the government for providing this service. No costs are passed on to the end users.