Hearing loss is a frustrating condition that can greatly affect a person’s quality of life, both physically and mentally. Fortunately, progressive hearing loss can be detected early in many cases so that the appropriate treatment can be administered. The key to detecting hearing loss, or other hearing related problems like tinnitus, is to know the symptoms that indicate an early onset of these conditions.

Let’s take a look at five early symptoms of hearing loss you should know about:

1. Needing to turn up the volume
If you find that the volume settings on your TV, radio, phone, or any other device are turned up higher than they usually are, then there is a chance you have suffered hearing loss. Another thing to consider here is the fact that turning up these devices louder than normal can in some cases actually contribute to hearing loss, especially if you use headphones or earbuds regularly.

2. Withdrawal from conversations
This symptom of hearing loss is a bit less direct, but if you find yourself withdrawing from conversations because you can’t tell what others are saying, then it can be a sign of early hearing loss. You can ask others if they’ve noticed this behavior if you can’t recall it yourself.

3. Muffling of speech and other sounds
Hearing loss can manifest itself in different ways, and in some cases it can take the form of sounds, such as speech, sounding muffled. This may seem odd since this doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re hearing is significantly worse, but rather that sounds are distorted and somewhat “fuzzy” sounding, as if you were listening with earmuffs on.

4. Difficulty understanding words
This symptom of hearing loss may seem very similar to the previous one, and in some cases it is, but is much more specific. In this case, the hearing loss manifests as not being able to understand another person’s words as well as you once could. This could be on the phone, in person, or even when watching TV or listening to the radio.

5. Frequently asking others to speak more slowly and loudly
If you find yourself having to ask others to repeat themselves, or if you need them to speak more slowly and/or loudly, then you may have hearing loss. If you’re not sure whether you do this a lot, try asking your friends and family to see what they have to say about the matter, they may notice your behavior better than you do in this case.

Tinnitus often accompanies early stage hearing loss. It causes a ringing or buzzing in the ears that may become permanent, causing further hearing loss. There are varying degrees of tinnitus, but they can all be disruptive to daily life. In some cases, they can even lead to problems such as depression and anxiety. The good news is that there are severe tinnitus treatment options available to help you get your life back if you’re suffering from it. Products such as the Eargo tinnitus hearing aid, and pharmaceuticals like Quietum Plus are some of the best tinnitus relief products available to support hearing health and restore overall quality of life.