Hearing Loss

Is it hard to follow conversations around the table? Do you find yourself turning your phone up to the highest volume…and still missing some of what’s said?

Hearing loss can feel isolating. Worse, it can happen so slowly that you don’t realize it right away, which is dangerous considering even slight hearing loss can affect your brain and cognitive function.

How common is hearing loss? By some estimates, hearing loss affects over 466 million people across the globe. An ailment that has many categories, causes, and treatments, hearing loss is far from monolithic–but it remains one of the most common and persistent health issues around the world. Remarkably, hearing loss is also largely preventable, leading health officials to invest heavily in education and awareness. The more you know about hearing loss, the better you can protect your hearing.

Hearing Loss Symptoms That Often Go Unnoticed

You might think that hearing loss is obvious…you simply can’t hear. But hearing loss can occur so slowly that the first symptoms go unnoticed or are shrugged off.

• Words sound indistinct as if they are muffled
• It’s harder to hear in crowds or when there is background noise
• You find yourself turning up the volume
• You’re avoiding the theater or movies because you can’t hear the softer dialog
• You’ve withdrawn from social settings, especially larger groups or noisier venues
• You’re tired all the time, and you’ve ruled out all the usual reasons
• You tune out colleagues more often
• You’re struggling with basic cognitive functions like memory