We’re Hearing Specialists. Here Are 10 Signs Of Hearing Loss We’d Never Ignore.

Hearing loss might be a typical part of aging, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore how your ability to hear changes over time ― especially as this kind of decline may manifest in unexpected ways.

“Untreated hearing loss doesn’t just impact your ability to hear ― it affects how your brain processes sound, your ability to communicate clearly, and even your relationships and mental health,” Leslie Soiles, the chief audiologist for HearingLife, told HuffPost. “Over time, straining to hear can lead to listening fatigue, social withdrawal and a decline in cognitive function. In fact, research has linked untreated hearing loss to an increased risk of dementia and depression.”

Although it’s tempting to dismiss or adapt to changes over time, you’ll want to pay attention to early signs of hearing loss and seek professional help for earlier intervention. Plus, hearing loss can sometimes indicate more serious and even potentially life-threatening conditions.

“The sooner we identify hearing loss, the more effective treatment can be, whether that’s through hearing aids, lifestyle adjustments or other solutions tailored to your needs,” Soiles said. “My goal is to help people stay connected, confident and engaged in the world around them. And it all starts with not ignoring that very first clue.”

So what might that crucial first clue look like? Below, Soiles and other experts break down the early signs of hearing loss they wouldn’t ignore.

“I would not ignore a feeling of fullness in one or both ears, particularly if it comes with feelings of dizziness or imbalance,” said Bria Collins, the associate director of audiology practices at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

She explained that ear fullness and dizziness might be signs of underlying conditions affecting the inner ear, such as fluid buildup, infections or balance disorders.

“These symptoms can impact balance, hearing and overall quality of life, and in some cases, may indicate more serious issues such as neurological conditions,” Collins said. “Prompt evaluation by a healthcare professional allows for accurate diagnosis and early treatment.”

“One sign I would never ignore is the increasing need to ask others to repeat themselves, especially if it’s happening regularly in conversations with family, friends or coworkers,” Soiles said. “This often starts subtly and slowly.”

Pay attention if you find yourself saying things like, “What?” and, “Can you repeat that?” more frequently and getting the sense that people aren’t speaking clearly.

“Everyone can mishear things from time to time, but if you’re constantly asking for things to be repeated, this could be a sign you’re lacking some of the sounds needed to process speech properly,” said Jenn Schumacher, an audiologist at ReSound.

“While it’s normal to feel a bit tired after a long day of catching up with family or friends, if you or a loved one is feeling drained and exhausted after conversing with others, there could be more to it than simply needing a good night’s sleep,” Schumacher said.

She explained that when a person doesn’t hear all the sounds of speech, the brain has to fill in the gaps to help make sense of what people are saying.

“This requires a lot of extra focus and makes the brain work even harder to process what is going on in a busy situation, leading to extreme tiredness afterwards,” Schumacher said.

“One thing not to ignore is persistent tinnitus,” said Patricia Gaffney, the president of the American Academy of Audiology. “Persistent tinnitus may be caused by an underlying hearing loss.”

Tinnitus refers to a phenomenon in which people hear a ringing or buzzing that others cannot perceive and that cannot be explained by any external sound. If you experience this in your everyday life for a period of weeks or months, you’ll want to get evaluated for hearing loss.

“Hearing aids can aid in the hearing loss but can also be part of the tinnitus treatment plan,” Gaffney said.

“If someone experiences unexplained, sudden onset of hearing loss in only one ear, I would see a physician right away,” said Dr. Maura Cosetti, director of the Ear Institute of New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. “The important details include sudden onset and only one ear. Sometimes this can be hard to identify, but one easy way is if you can not hear your phone or headphones in a given ear.”

She explained that this decline can be a sign of sudden sensorineural hearing loss, which requires prompt treatment.

“If you wake up and can’t hear out of one ear or suddenly the hearing drops from your ear and lasts longer than a couple hours, I would recommend getting immediate attention,” Gaffney said. “If they want to go to urgent care to check if it is earwax or a middle ear infection, that is OK, but if both of those are clear, I would recommend an ENT that has an audiologist on staff.”

Prompt consultation with both types of experts can help ensure timely testing and treatment for the best possible outcome.

“The audiologist would likely perform several tests to assess my hearing, check my ear canals to see if there is a buildup of earwax and determine the type and degree of hearing loss,” Collins said. “The ENT physician would come up with a medical management plan to help treat the sudden drop in hearing.”

Both Collins and Gaffney emphasized that time is of the essence in this situation.

“If it is a sudden loss in the inner ear, there is a short timeline in which rescue medicine like steroids are helpful,” Gaffney said. “The quicker they can be administered the higher the likelihood the medication will work and the hearing can recover. Sometimes patients think it will get better, and they wait too long.”

When you call to make an appointment, she recommended emphasizing that you’re experiencing a sudden loss of hearing, so it’s an urgent matter.

“If they can’t get you that day, then I would recommend calling another clinic if possible,” Gaffney said. “You are fighting a clock where the first 72 hours are critical.”

“I would not avoid difference in the ears, including hearing loss and tinnitus,” Gaffney said.

Although tinnitus is a common condition, it typically affects both ears, so experiencing sudden onset continuous ringing in just one ear could be a cause for concern.

“Generally, most causes of hearing loss impact both ears equally,” Gaffney noted. “One exception is that ear infections in the middle ear associated with colds can cause a difference between ears and generally clear up as the cold goes away.”

If the difference between your ears is not explained by something simple like a cold, however, professional examination is warranted. It could be sudden sensorineural hearing loss or something else.

“One cause that is most concerning that presents like this are vestibular schwannomas, also called acoustic neuromas,” Gaffney explained. “These are benign tumors on the vestibular nerve. I recommend getting a hearing evaluation completed to determine the type and degree of hearing loss and if warranted, a follow-up with ENT for further investigation, such as an MRI.”

“TV shows with fast-paced dialogue or a substantial amount of background noise can be difficult for those with hearing loss to follow, as crucial dialogue can often be drowned out,” Schumacher said

In these circumstances, people tend to grab that remote and crank up the volume. The same goes for the volume on your phone.

“So if you or a loved one need to have the volume turned up to a level that is uncomfortable for others watching in the room to hear, this could be an indication of hearing loss,” Schumacher said.

Be mindful of how often you complain that people are mumbling and not speaking clearly.

“People with hearing loss are often not able to hear high-pitched speech frequencies, which often provide the clarity and meaning of the word, making them feel like they can hear the sound but not fully understand it,” Schumacher said.

Of course, some people do mumble, but if it’s an increasingly frequent experience, you might be experiencing hearing loss.

“High-pitched speech sounds like /f/, /s/ and /th/ are especially hard to hear when there is background noise,” Collins said. “When hearing loss goes untreated, the brain can start to ‘forget’ how to interpret certain sounds.”

“You may notice that following conversations in group settings or noisy environments, like restaurants or meetings, becomes more difficult,” Soiles said. “Many people chalk it up to distractions or background noise, but this can be a key early indicator of hearing loss.”

As with feeling like everyone is mumbling, difficulty hearing when there’s background noise can indicate decline in the ability to hear higher pitched sounds.

“Potential signs of hearing loss I would never ignore include a feeling that sounds are ‘muffled’ and difficulty hearing in noisy environments,” said Rachel Artsma, senior audiologist at Hear.com. “I would not ignore these signs because they can indicate early stages of hearing loss, and early detection is key. Addressing these symptoms promptly can lead to better outcomes through timely intervention, improved communication and a higher quality of life.”

Make time for a hearing evaluation so that you can get hearing aids if recommended.

“The reason not to ignore these is that as people struggle to hear in these social situations, they withdraw and not want to be in the social situations,” Gaffney said. “This can lead to loneliness, which is a growing epidemic, particularly in older adults. Additionally, there is growing literature that hearing loss is a modifiable risk factor for cognitive health and cognitive decline.”

“If I had a close friend or family member bring to my attention that they felt I was having trouble hearing, I would take that observation seriously and have my hearing checked by an audiologist,” Collins said.

She emphasized that it’s not easy for a loved one to bring up difficult topics, like possible medical issues, so these kinds of concerns warrant evaluation to see if hearing loss is present. The people in our lives are sometimes better equipped to perceive these changes than we are.

“Hearing loss onset is typically gradual over time,” Collins said. “So some of us may not notice we are turning up the television or raising the volume when listening to music.”