If you are wondering if you’re experiencing hearing loss, here are symptoms or sign that may be pointing towards hearing loss:

• Muffling of speech and other sounds
• Difficulty understanding words against background noise or in a crowd
• Trouble hearing consonants
• Frequently asking others to speak slower, clearer or louder
• Needing to turn up the volume of devices
• Withdrawal from conversations
• Avoidance of some social settings

In some cases, you may have other symptoms associated with severe hearing loss. Here are some things you may also have:

• Pain in one or both ears
• Dizziness or vertigo
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Pressure or fullness in one or both ears

If you are wondering what causes hearing loss, here are some common causes of hearing loss:

• Damage to the inner ear: Aging and exposure to loud noise may gradually cause wear and tear on the hairs or nerve cells in the ear that send sound signals to the brain.
• A gradual buildup of earwax: Earwax can block the ear canal and prevent sound waves from going through the ear.
• Ear infection, abnormal bone growths, tumors: In parts of the ear, these can cause hearing loss.
• Ruptured eardrum (tympanic membrane perforation): Loud noise, poking your eardrum, sudden changes in pressure, etc can cause your eardrum to rupture and cause hearing loss.

In many cases, some groups of people are more likely to experience hearing loss. If you want to know if you are at risk, here are the groups:

• Age: As you get older, you experience natural hearing loss but some may experience it faster or worse.
• Loud noise: Loud noise can cause damage to your hearing.
• Heredity / Genetic: Some people are more likely to experience hearing loss e.g family trait.
• Occupational noises: A workplace where loud noise is a normal part of the environment, such as farming, construction, or factory work, can lead to damage in your ear.
• Recreational noises: Exposure to motorcycling, carpentry, firearm, or listening to loud music can cause damage over time and may eventually lead to permanent hearing loss.
• Some medications: Some drugs can damage the inner ear. Please consult your doctor if this is the case.
• Some illnesses: Some diseases or illnesses can cause damage to your hearing.

If hearing loss is left untreated, it can lead to permanent hearing loss but also other complications. It can include even things like quality of life and well-being. Here are some complications you might face if left untreated:

• Headaches
• Muscle tension
• Increased stress leading to increased blood pressure levels
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Social withdrawal, feeling of isolation
• Cognitive impairment

If you feel like you are losing your hearing, there are some things you can do to help prevent hearing loss from getting worse. Here is what you can do:

• Protect your ears: If you are exposed to loud noises daily, it is recommended to get protection for your ears. For example, in the workplace, you can wear earplugs to protect your ears
• Take a hearing test occasionally: It is good to take occasional hearing tests to find deterioration in hearing so it can be treated right away.
• Avoid certain activities (or at least wear protection for your ear): There are some activities that will increase your chance of experiencing hearing loss. Try to avoid things like loud concerts, using power tools, gunshots, explosives, etc.