The number of Britons with hearing loss is set to rise from 12 million today, to 14.2 million by the year 2035. If people tell you your TV is turned up too loud, or if you struggle to pay attention to conversations in public places, you could be experiencing the early symptoms of hearing loss. Here are the signs to watch out for – and how to test your hearing.
You might assume you would be the first to notice a change in your quality of hearing, but this isn’t always the case.
Franki Oliver, Audiology Adviser at the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), explains how people might not notice their hearing loss at first.
Franki said: “Unfortunately, research shows people take 10 years on average to take action on their hearing loss: they may not notice the signs, they may not know what to do about it or they may be afraid to admit their hearing isn’t what it used to be.
“Hearing loss can happen gradually, so you may not notice it at first.
“You may find it more difficult to hear quiet sounds or higher frequencies, but you may compensate for this by turning the TV up or asking people to repeat themselves.”
More than 40 percent of British adults over the age of 50 have hearing loss, and more than 70 percent of those over the age of 70.
So, what are the signs you’re losing your hearing?
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What activities increase your risk of hearing loss?
While many of the factors causing hearing loss are down to genetics, some risk factors can increase the likelihood of losing your hearing.
Franki said: “There are multiple causes of hearing loss including age, noise exposure, certain medications, genetics, viruses, bacterial infections, and ear wax.
“The second biggest cause of hearing loss, after aging, is exposure to loud noise, which is also the most preventable cause.”
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You also need to ensure you keep an eye on how loudly you play music through your headphones.
Franki said: “If you listen to music through headphones it’s really important to not exceed the safe volume limit on your device – this normally appears as yellow or red when increasing the volume.
“If you use headphones in a noisy environment (for example on public transport), it might be worth investing in some with noise cancelling technology.
“This means you won’t increase the volume to a dangerous level to try and mask the background noise.
“Again it’s a good idea to take regular breaks, for example if you listen to music for one hour, have a break for five minutes.”