(Akiit.com) Hearing is an aspect of our health that is easy to take for granted. Losing your hearing is often called what is known as an ‘invisible’ health condition because your doctor probably won’t be able to see any structural evidence of hearing loss within the ear. From the point of view of the person who is losing their hearing, the term ‘invisible condition’ is a little ironic because you don’t lose the ability to ‘see’ things, but the description is useful in the sense that even if you are losing your hearing, you may not be able to notice the signs yourself.
The changes to your ability to hear may be very gradual, so it is fairly normal for people with hearing loss to seek out ways to cope and get used to reduced hearing without actually noticing that there is a problem. Usually it is up to friends and family to notice and point it out. If you are losing your hearing and you don’t want to be the last person to know, here are some signs you should look out for, and some treatment options you might consider. 
Ask yourself some of the questions below. Your answers will guide you in identifying common early-warning signs of hearing loss, so you can take action and stop missing out on the sounds of life.
Are you finding conversations a little tricky to follow lately?
Do you frequently find yourself having to request that someone repeats what they have just said?
Are you often tempted to complain that other people are mumbling or speaking too quickly?
Are the voices of women and children especially challenging for you to hear and comprehend?
Can you hear a ringing sound that doesn’t seem to come from your physical environment?
Can you hear better through one ear than the other?
Is speaking on the telephone difficult for you?
Will you often turn the volume of your TV up full?
Do you get complains about the volume of your TV from the neighbours?
Will you usually avoid going to noisy locations?
Treatment Options
If your answer to some of these questions was “yes” then it is recommended that you book a hearing test with your local professional in this field. There are good treatments out there, the most common of which is a hearing aid. Other times, medications or surgery will be the solution.
What’s That Ringing In My Ears?
Weirdly enough, hearing loss is often accompanied by sound that only you can hear. This is called tinnitus. As well as being caused by hearing loss, tinnitus can be caused by a waxy build up in the ear, certain medications, and exposure to loud noise. Whether you can hear that ringing in your ear constantly, or it comes and goes, it can be an early warning sign that you are losing or have lost some of your hearing. If you do experience this sound, it can be difficult to work out if the noise is coming from inside your ear an external source. A tinnitus test is a good way to make this distinction, as the uncertainty can be bewildering if you’re worried about hearing loss.
Whether you’re just starting to suspect that you are losing your hearing, or you’re sure that your hearing has started to wane, you may start to feel better as soon as you take control of the situation and address your hearing problems.
Staff Writer; Rick James