WHY IS EVERYBODY MUMBLING?

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself “Why does everyone today seem to be mumbling? They didn’t do this before. Why now?”

The answer may be that they are not mumbling at all. Hearing loss appears in many forms, and can occur either suddenly or gradually over time. The most commonly reported symptom of hearing loss is difficulty hearing speech clearly. You may perceive speaking voices as if they were speaking too softly, or are too distant to be heard properly. Voices may appear to be muffled and indistinct. You may have difficulty distinguishing individual words especially when multiple people are speaking or with background noise.

Other common symptoms of hearing loss include a need to increase the volume, having a harder time hearing certain voices, and not being able to differentiate sounds. Persistent ringing in the ears, pain, tenderness, itching in the ears, and episodes of dizziness or vertigo may accompany hearing loss.

One of the difficulties with hearing loss is that it often occurs gradually and you may be unaware it is present. This can sometimes lead to habits or behaviors designed to hide your hearing loss. Examples of some compensation strategies include asking people to repeat themselves often, avoiding dialogues and social situations, and pretending to have heard what you really didn’t. Hearing loss can also lead to feelings of depression or isolation.

If this sounds familiar to you, it is time to make an appointment with an audiologist. An audiologist is an expert in hearing with advanced training and can help you.

-As seen in Sophisticated Woman Magazine