7 Signs You May Need To Consider Hearing Aids

When it comes to your health, one of the hardest things to gauge is whether or not you need to start worrying about your ears. With so many different illnesses that affect your ears, 90% of the time it’s easy to pass things off as an infection or common cold. Whilst this may be the case for most people, for some, it is part of an underlying issue. Whether you’re 50 or you’re 25, having problems with your ears and your hearing can result in the need for hearing aids. To help you keep an eye out for the signs that this may be you, here are 7 signs you may need to consider speaking to your doctor about hearing aids.

What Are Hearing Aids?

Before we get started, let’s take a look at what hearing aids are and what they can do. A hearing aid is an incredible device that is designed to improve your hearing by making a sound that is audible to a person that is living with hearing loss. They are classified as a medical device in most countries and are regulated by the respective regulations depending on where you are.

To put it simply, they help those that struggle to hear to hear certain frequencies and sounds they may not have been able to hear previously. In most cases, you will be able to get them from your doctor.

What Are The Benefits Of Them?

Whilst the benefits of hearing aids may be obvious to some, it’s important to think about what they could do for you personally. For most, giving them the ability to hear again is more than enough to convince them to use them on a day-to-day basis.

Other benefits to using hearing aids include:

• Opening you up to more opportunities
• Allowing you to get involved in group conversations
• It can reduce the sounds caused by tinnitus
• Overall, it offers a better way of living

So, what are the signs that you may need to consider speaking to your doctor about hearing aid devices?

• You’re Struggling To Hear People

First of all, you may be struggling to hear people. Whilst this could be a case of an ear infection or ears that have been blocked with earwax, it is definitely something that should be investigated if you haven’t been able to hear what people are saying for a while. In a lot of cases, people will probably notice that you’re struggling to hear them before you notice that it has been happening regularly. Once someone points it out to you, you will start to remember all of the times you have struggled.

• You’re Struggling To Hear Things You Could Before

On a similar note, if you are struggling to hear things that you know you could hear before, you may need to speak to your doctor. Whether it’s that the TV sounds as though it is on a lower volume or you can no longer hear when there is a knock at the door, noticing small things like this could be really beneficial to your health.

• You Miss Phone Calls Because You Don’t Hear The Phone

One of the most common things people notice when it comes to losing their ability to hear properly is that they have been missing phone calls because they can no longer hear the phone ringing. If you find that you are walking past your phone and you have lots of messages that you didn’t hear come through, chances are you may need to speak to a professional to ask for advice. If it happens one of two times you can definitely write it off but if it’s every day, it’s time to start looking into it.

• You Can’t Keep Up With Conversations Any More

Although it isn’t a determining sign that you are losing your hearing, struggling to keep up with conversations may be a sign that you are struggling to hear lots of different frequencies at once. Not only that, but it may be a sign that you’re struggling when there is a lot of background noise to think about.

• You Can Hear High-Frequency Noises In Your Ear

Another common sign that you may be losing your hearing is that you can hear high-frequency noises in your ear. In some cases, this may be tinnitus, but in others, it is your ears picking up whatever sounds and frequencies it can find. For most, this is a very early sign that their hearing is going and isn’t often a cause for concern. If you are worried, you can speak to your doctor for advice.

• You’re Experiencing Pain In Your Ears

Again, experiencing pain in your ears isn’t a direct correlation to hearing loss but it is a contributing factor. If you are struggling with some of the above factors and you are experiencing pain, that is probably a clear sign you should be worried. The best thing to do in this case is to book the earliest available appointment with your general practice. Whilst they may not be able to see you right away, at least you will know that you have something in place to discuss your concerns. If you’re really concerned, you may also be able to have a chat with a nurse or bump your appointment up to something sooner.

• You Have Been Advised By Your Doctor

Finally, the main reason you may want to consider hearing aids is if your doctor has suggested them. Whilst you don’t always have to take the advice your doctor has given you, in most cases, they know what is best for you. If you’re unsure, you may just want to test them out for a number of weeks and see if they make any improvements to your hearing. If not, you can go back for further tests. Alternatively, you can ask another doctor for a second opinion.

Do you think you may need to speak to your doctor about hearing aids?

What signs have you had?

Let me know in the comments section below.