Hearing loss can happen to anyone and at any age. Surprisingly, only 35 percent of people with hearing loss are over the age of 64. If you have any of the symptoms listed below, it’s important to talk to your doctor and having your hearing checked.

You have buzzing or ringing in your ears

If you have sporadic buzzing or ringing in your ears then pay attention because this is one of the earliest signs of hearing loss. While most hearing loss takes years to progress, it is still very important to have your hearing checked. Early intervention is key to slowing the advancement of hearing loss. The best way to avoid hearing loss is to limit the use of headphones and using noise-canceling headphones if you are constantly exposed to loud environments.

You lose your balance frequently

Did you know that your ears help you keep your balance? Your inner ear canals sends signals to your brain to help maintain your balance. So, if your inner ear has damage (hearing loss) then it can’t send those signals in a timely manner. If you find you are stumbling more frequently make sure to having your hearing checked.

You forget things regularly

When you can’t hear well, you won’t be able to remember things because you didn’t hear them in the first place. However, forgetfulness can also be a sign of mental decline. The JAMA Internal Medicine conducted a study over six years with 2,000 people over age 70 conducted and found that people with hearing loss had a faster decline in thinking skills than people without hearing loss. Unfortunately, when you develop hearing loss it makes social situations uncomfortable and can also cause a cognitive decline.

You find loud noises excruciating

When you hear a loud truck horn, do you find yourself in pain? If you do, this could be a sign of hearing loss. Loud noises are very annoying and irritating, but they shouldn’t ever bring you agony. Hearing loss in one or both ears gives you lessens the ability of quieting the loud noises around you, which is why loud noises hurt more.

You constantly ask people to repeat what they said

If you have a tendency to socialize in places with a lot of background noise, then that could make hearing people difficult. However, even in a noisy room you should be able to hear people close to you if your ears are functioning properly. If you noise that you frequently ask people to repeat themselves, then it is time to get your hearing checked by a hearing care professional.

If you have any of the symptoms described above it is important to have your hearing checked by a hearing care professional. Contact Sound Hearing Care at 864-881-1663 to schedule an appointment at one of our four convenient locations including Simpsonville, Greer, Travelers Rest, and Greenville.