5 Signs You Might Need a Hearing Test
Changes in Your Hearing Can Affect the Way You Know Your World
Hearing loss is often called an “invisible condition”1 because it tends to develop gradually and doesn’t show any outward signs. You can't see it happening, but over time, its impact can quietly weave into your everyday life.
Simple activities like conversations, watching TV, or social outings may become more challenging. At first, it might seem like everyone around you is mumbling, or one day you realize that things just don’t sound as clear as they used to. You might feel more disconnected than before, or notice sounds seem duller or distant.
Here are five key signs that it’s time to consider taking a hearing test.
Sign 1: Loved Ones Are Persistently Encouraging Action
Have your friends or loved ones suggested it’s time to do something about your hearing? Maybe you're tired of them complaining that you can’t hear, or perhaps you’ve started to feel left out of conversations.
Sometimes, the support of those closest to us is all we need to take that first step. Prioritizing your hearing health is an act of self-care. Listening better means living better: you can be fully present in life and more engaged in your relationships.
If your friends, family, or work colleagues are starting to notice your hearing health declining, it could be an early sign to get your hearing checked.
Early signs of hearing impairment include:
Difficulty hearing in noise- Frequently asking people to repeat themselves
- People sound like they are always mumbling
- Avoidance of social gatherings you used to love attending
- Feeling isolated or not as connected as you used to be
Sign 2: Turning up the TV Volume Too Loud
If you keep turning up the TV and everyone still sounds like they’re mumbling, it might be time for a hearing test. When your family mentions, they can hear the news from three rooms away – or your neighbors know what movie you watched last night – it’s probably not just your love of loud sound.
Turning up the volume is one of the classic early signs of hearing loss. Your ears might be working harder than they should, and your TV remote definitely deserves a break.
Sign 3: Saying No to Things You Used to Love
Humans are social by nature. Missing activities and social gatherings you used to enjoy can be an early sign that hearing loss is making things harder. It can leave you feeling excluded and exhausted from trying to ‘listen’ carefully.
Over time, this can have a much bigger impact on your well-being than you think. The good news? With the right hearing solution, you can connect with the world again.
The Importance of Being Social
Your hearing health has a profound impact on your ability to connect, to feel secure, and to truly experience the world around you. Often, loved ones advocate for hearing solutions because of the impact miscommunication can have on relationships4. But with the right support, you can stay confident, connected and mentally sharp.
Sign 4: Missing Key Life Moments and Sounds
Do you feel as if you’re not quite catching every word, every nuance, shared in conversation? Or, perhaps the subtle sounds of daily life – a ringing phone, a beeping appliance, or even the gentle whistle of a train – are becoming faint or lost.
These seemingly small moments define the rich sound tapestry of your life. Don’t let them slip away; getting a hearing check is a simple way to reconnect with the moments that truly matter.
Sign 5: Missing More Than Memos
In today’s fast-paced workplace, missing details during meetings or phone calls can impact your performance and opportunities for growth.
Hearing loss in the workplace can lead to fewer opportunities due to impaired communication skills. If you find that you need almost everything ‘in writing’, then it could be a sign that hearing support could help you show up more confidently and clearly.
Your Path to Better Hearing Starts With a Hearing Assessment
If you’re missing alarms, ringing phones and doorbells, then it’s time to consult with a hearing professional.
A hearing care professional will conduct a comprehensive assessment to understand your hearing health status. They are privy to the signs and symptoms of hearing loss and will determine if it is hearing loss you’re experiencing. Your audiologist will guide you towards a solution that fits your lifestyle and makes you feel like yourself again.
Take the First Step to Better Hearing
1 Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology: Hearing Loss: Mechanisms and Prevention (3 February 2022): https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cell-and-developmental-biology/articles/10.3389/fcell.2022.838271/full
2 Hearing Loss, Loneliness, and Social Isolation: A Systematic Review (May 2020): https://pure.johnshopkins.edu/en/publications/hearing-loss-loneliness-and-social-isolation-a-systematic-review
3 Australasian Journal on Ageing: Hearing loss, social isolation and depression in participants aged 50 years or over in Tasmania, Australia (26 August 2024): https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajag.13363
4 National Library of Medicine: Hearing and sociality: the implications of hearing loss on social life (3 October 2023): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10579609
