When should I seek help and what are the warning signs?

What are the signs of hearing loss? How do you know you have a hearing loss or are developing one? If you are suffering from a hearing loss when do you get help?

• If you hear, but don't always understand what people say.
• If you must ask others to repeat.
• If you are embarrassed by not being able to hear and understand when you are in a noisy environment.
• If you're getting complaints about the volume on your TV, radio, stereo or telephone.
• If you're experiencing irritability with your family and loved ones over your hearing loss.
• If you have problems, with certain types of voices or complain that people seem to mumble.
• If you hear but have noticed difficulty in understanding conversation in group situations.
• If simply following dialog on the TV has become a strain.
• If you have ringing or noises in the ear(s)--Tinnitus.
• If you pretend to hear someone but really don't, just to avoid embarrassment.
• If you have difficulty following conversation between the front and back seats of a car.
• If you seem to hear better from one ear than the other.
• If you find that you have to sit "up front" in church, temple, or the auditorium to hear.