Skip to content

Signs of Hearing Loss in Adults

Recognizing the early signs of hearing loss in adults — and why it's worth acting sooner rather than later.

Hearing health is important

The joy of sound is universal — a child laughing, rain on a tin roof, the voice of a loved one, or your favourite song. For most of us, our ability to hear is an important part of the way we perceive the world and connect to others. Yet surprisingly the signs of hearing loss can often go unnoticed, be ignored, or be left untreated much longer than they should.

Hearing loss can be caused by a number of things including noise exposure, ageing, disease, and hereditary factors. Often hearing loss happens gradually — your friends and family may notice an issue before you do.

Hearing loss is an extremely common problem, with approximately one in three people between the ages of 65 and 74 having some form of hearing loss. However, you can have trouble with your hearing at any age, so hearing health is an important factor to consider for overall health and wellbeing.

‘No one who ever put in hearing aids thought to themselves “Well that was a mistake!” … You will never regret taking the leap. It has improved every aspect of my life.’ — Adam Savage

Early signs you might have a hearing loss

  • Asking people to repeat themselves
  • Missing your phone or doorbell ringing
  • Watching TV or listening to music with the volume set at a high level
  • Hearing sounds as muffled
  • Others seem to be mumbling
  • Having trouble following conversations
  • Feeling tired or stressed from having to concentrate while listening
  • Difficulty hearing on the phone
  • Having problems hearing because of background noise or when more than one person is talking

Sources: Health Direct, Hearing Australia, National Institute on Ageing, NHS UK.