Question: My mother had hearing loss, and I understand the importance of treating it early. Since it runs in my family, what signs should I watch for?
Answer: Hearing loss is usually gradual. Therefore, it is easy to be unaware of the onset of hearing loss until the degree of loss is so prominent that others are noticing it before you do. We all want to prevent this from happening. Early signs might be asking others to repeat, increased TV volume, difficulty understanding from a distance, ringing, or noises in the ears. It may be only specific situations where you have difficulty hearing such as in a noisy restaurant or locating direction of sounds. If this is you or someone you know, then call and schedule an evaluation to establish a baseline on your hearing.