What Does Hearing Loss Feels Like?
Humans rely on their five senses to navigate the world. This is why people with poor vision and hearing take measures to attain an optimal level of sight with aids such as eyeglasses and hearing aids. Some even spend thousands of dollars to correct their impairments.
One of the most expensive and difficult “loss” to treat is hearing loss. When not taken care of, your ears could suffer from damage. If you are wondering what this feels like, here’s what you need to know:
What Can Cause Hearing Loss?
Before we dive into the feeling experienced by impaired individuals, it is important to know what causes such loss. This can occur when exposed to extreme loud noise dosage. This is composed of two parts: the intensity of the noise and duration of exposure. According to experts, exposure to 85 decibels without protection for more than 8 hours is harmful. Eighty-five decibels and above fall under the risk range.
As a reference, a normal conversation and background music are 60 decibels while a shouted conversation and subway noise is 90 to 95. Meanwhile, heavy traffic, a power lawnmower and a blender are 80 to 89 decibels.
The elderly are prone to losing their hearing, this is due to several factors such as changes in the structure of the ear, changes in blood flow to the ear, damage to the tiny hairs in the ear that are responsible for transmitting sound to the brain etc. Other common causes of hearing loss are medication, illnesses, infections and trauma.
What Does it Feel Like?
- Ringing Sensation
Individuals with hearing loss often hear a ringing or buzzing in their ears. This is called tinnitus. While it is commonly experienced by many people, it is not a condition in itself. Instead, it indicates a more fundamental cause, which is hearing loss. However, it can also mean other health conditions such as circulatory disorders.
- Muffled Hearing
Another great indicator of hearing loss is muffled sounds. When sufferers listen to the world around them, the sounds come as if it is stifled and subdued. This can be detrimental in navigating everyday life and can be dangerous when in places with high traffic.
- Difficulty Understanding Speech
When listening to someone speak, those with such issue tend to have difficulty catching words. In fact, they may have trouble perceiving consonants. The problem is aggravated when the patient is placed in a setting with background noise. In conversation, they tend to ask people to speak louder or repeat what they said.
- Constant Need to Increase Volume
Sufferers tend to have loud voices as they regulate their voice’s volume using their own ears. As their hearing is impaired, they are more likely to project their voices more loudly than the average person. Moreover, they are known to increase the volume of devices that emit sounds such as the television and music players.
Now that you know what hearing impairment feels like, you have an idea of whether or not you or others around you are suffering from hearing loss. If you suspect you may be suffering from hearing loss, it is recommended to obtain a full diagnostic hearing assessment from an audiologist. Call today on 1300 736 702 to speak with one of our highly qualified audiologists at Attune Hearing.
