Research shows that approximately 36 million American adults suffer from some form of hearing loss. There is a wide range of causes of this condition, including exposure to loud noises, ear disease or infection, harm to the inner ear and ear drum, certain medications, and deterioration due to aging. It is an ever present problem, which is why it is crucial that you visit an audiologist—a healthcare professional trained to diagnose and treat problems with hearing and balance— regularly.

The lead audiologist at Washington D.C.’s Audiology Unlimited, Dr. Kathy Mellott, Au.D., notes that a great deal of people aren’t even aware that they are suffering from hearing loss. This being the case, she’d like to inform you of some of the tell-tale signs:

• Social Signs: These include difficulty following conversations involving two or more people, the need to have words repeated to be understood, difficulty making out what is being said in noisy, public situations (at a restaurant or bar, in malls, crowded meeting rooms, etc.), trouble hearing higher pitches such as those produced by women or children, keeping the TV or radio at a very high volume, experiencing periods of ringing in the ears, or finding yourself needing to lip read or see someone’s face during a conversation.
• Emotional Signs: Hearing loss takes an often unrecognized psychological and emotional toll. Look out for feelings of stress due to straining to hear, annoyance or lack of patience with others because you cannot understand what they’re saying, embarrassment and shyness when meeting others because you misunderstand what they are saying, anxiety and nervousness about trying to hear and understand, and a withdraw from social situations that were once enjoyable due to difficulties hearing.
• Medical Signs: There are many risk factors to this condition. You are prone to hearing loss if you have a family history of it, take prescription medications that can harm the auditory system, have certain medical conditions including diabetes, heart or thyroid problems, and have been exposed to very loud sounds over a prolonged period or a single exposure to an explosive noise.

These signs can come on quickly or emerge slowly over time, which is why it’s important to have a hearing test performed regularly. With three locations in the DC metro area, the audiologists at Audiology Unlimited will gladly assess your situation and work with you to find the best possible solution. Visit this practice online, or call (301) 780-6770 to make an appointment.