If “seeing is believing,” what is hearing? Hearing, too, is an important part of communication and plays an indispensable role in helping one perceive the world. Roughly 1.8 million people aged 12 and above in the country are affected by severe hearing loss. Owing to technological advancement, several facilities, including hearing aids and assistive learning devices, have been devised to help individuals who are hard of hearing.

Timely detection of hearing problems helps doctors recommend suitable interventions. Here are some warning signs of hearing loss:

Inability to understand what others say
In the initial stages of losing their hearing, individuals cannot typically understand what others are saying, especially in crowded places. They may ask others to repeat themselves frequently and find it difficult to hold conversations.

Difficulty hearing the other person over the phone
Phone conversations can be harrowing for those with hearing difficulties, as they often find it difficult to follow the other person over a call. Thus, individuals who are hard of hearing and live alone may experience loneliness because of their inability to communicate over the phone.

Tendency to increase TV or radio volume
Those who are hard of hearing may find it difficult to hear dialogues or music playing on TV or radio. Hence, they may increase the volume of these devices more than is usually required.

Distress due to strained hearing
Individuals who cannot hear clearly have to strain their ears to understand others, which can cause them significant distress.

Difficulties with hearing consonant sounds
Another common sign of hearing loss is difficulty hearing consonant sounds in speech. In other words, individuals with hearing impairment may be able to decipher only vowel sounds while trying to listen to others.

Tinnitus
Tinnitus refers to a ringing sound in the ears; however, sometimes, individuals faced with this problem may also hear a roaring or buzzing sound. Tinnitus is often a sign of hearing damage and should not be ignored.

Ear pressure
Sometimes, ear pressure can also be one of the symptoms faced by people with hearing difficulties. It may or may not be accompanied by other symptoms like ear pain and discharge from the ears.

Ear blockage
Many people with hearing impairment also report a sense of ear blockage, particularly in one ear.