Ask an Expert: How Do I Know If I Need Hearing Aids?

Noticing you’re missing parts of conversations or turning up the volume more often? Here’s how to tell if it’s time to get your hearing checked, and how hearing aids can help you stay connected.

Audiologist Stephanie Jaffe

Published 10/14/2025,

Updated 1/14/2026

2 min read

Reviewed by

HearUSA editorial team

Hearing aidsTips and tricks

Q: How Can I Tell if I Need Hearing Aids?

Stephanie Jaffe: There are a few common signs that you might benefit from hearing aids. These include:

Often asking people to repeat themselves
Struggling to follow conversations in noisy places
Turning up the volume on the TV or phone
Getting comments from family or friends about your hearing
Feeling left out in group conversations

It's time to check your hearing if you struggle to follow conversations

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These signs may mean your brain is expending more energy than needed, in order to make sense of sound. This can leave you feeling tired and isolated. You may also find yourself avoiding social situations you once enjoyed because listening feels exhausting or challenging.

The good news is, you have the power to take charge and reconnect with the moments that matter. If any of this sounds familiar, it’s worth getting your hearing checked by a qualified audiologist.

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Q: When Do You Start Needing Hearing Aids?

Stephanie Jaffe: If you’re finding it harder to stay connected, for example you’re missing parts of conversations, especially in noisy settings, or feeling mentally exhausted after social interactions, it could be a sign your hearing needs support.

Choosing to address these changes early can put you back in control and help you enjoy life to the fullest. These subtle changes often develop gradually, but they can affect your confidence, relationships, and quality of life.

Recognizing these early signs and seeking help from an audiologist can make a big difference in staying engaged and independent. Getting support is a positive first step toward better hearing health.

An audiologist can help if you find it hard to stay connected

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From a clinical standpoint, it’s advised to have your hearing tested annually to detect any changes early. If you’re over 50¹ or have conditions like diabetes¹ or high blood pressure, more frequent check-ups may² be helpful.

The first step is a full hearing evaluation by an audiologist. If they find that you have hearing loss, they’ll guide you toward the right possible solutions, whether that’s hearing aids or a medical referral.

Addressing your hearing health sooner rather than later helps protect your hearing so you can stay connected. It also supports your cognitive and emotional health³.

A hearing evaluation is a positive first step toward better hearing and enjoying life to the fullest

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Q: How Bad Does Hearing Have to Be to Need Hearing Aids?

Stephanie Jaffe: It’s best to address hearing changes early to help protect the hearing you still have. Treating mild hearing loss often leads to better results, as hearing aids can amplify sound more accurately and with less distortion. The longer your brain goes without hearing things the way they should be, the harder it is to adapt to wearing amplification.

You don’t need severe hearing loss to benefit from hearing aids

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Since hearing loss usually develops gradually, many people don’t notice until it starts to impact their daily life. On average, people wait about eight⁴ years before getting help; addressing it sooner means you stay connected and confident.

The decision to get hearing aids shouldn’t be based on the level of hearing health alone, but on how much the changes are affecting your everyday life. For instance, someone with mild hearing loss working in a noisy office may benefit from hearing aids sooner than someone else who spends most of their time in quiet settings.

Addressing hearing changes early helps you stay confident, connected, and in control.

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Q: Can People With Mild Hearing Loss Benefit From Hearing Aids?

Stephanie Jaffe: Yes, people with mild hearing loss can benefit from hearing aids. Even mild changes in hearing can cause challenges like communication difficulties or feeling disconnected. For many clients, today's hearing aids are smaller and more discreet and can make a real difference in your confidence and engagement. As your hearing needs change, solutions can be tailored to fit your lifestyle.

Find Out How Well You Hear

Everyone’s needs are unique, so the best first step is to get a professional hearing evaluation and discover the options that work for you.

Book a complimentary hearing appointment at HearUSA and take your first step to better hearing today!

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Sources:

1 Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine: Hearing Loss Health Care for Older Adults (May 2016): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27170797/

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society: Long-term effectiveness of screening for hearing loss: the screening for auditory impairment--which hearing assessment test (SAI-WHAT) randomized trial (March 2010): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20398111/

2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Interaction between diabetes mellitus and hypertension on risk of hearing loss in highly endogamous population (Nov 2017): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27614865/

3 Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions: The impact of hearing impairment and hearing aid use on progression to mild cognitive impairment in cognitively healthy adults: An observational cohort study (22 February 2022): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35229022/

Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease: Impact of Hearing Aids on Progression of Cognitive Decline, Depression, and Quality of Life Among People with Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (2023): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36776058/

PloS one: Hearing Loss and Cognition: The Role of Hearing Aids, Social Isolation and Depression (2023): https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0119616

4 Ear and Hearing: Time From Hearing Aid Candidacy to Hearing Aid Adoption: A Longitudinal Cohort Study (May 2019): https://journals.lww.com/ear-hearing/abstract/2019/05000/time_from_hearing_aid_candidacy_to_hearing_aid.4.aspx

Seminars in Hearing: Factors Influencing Hearing Aid Adoption (2020): https://www.thieme-connect.de/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0040-1701242

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