Symptoms of Hearing loss

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Two people talking and one who can't hear

Difficulty hearing or understanding words, especially if there is background noise or a group of people talking at the same time. 

Two people talking and one talking louder

People with hearing loss often ask speakers to talk more slowly, vocalise more and speak louder.

Person listening to whispers

When other people speak they sound like they are whispering or articulating poorly.

Person sitting on a sofa who cannot hear

Patients need to increase the volume on the television or radio.

Not hearing certain consonants

Difficulty hearing certain sounds or words. 

Person who receives loud sounds from various places and puts hands to ears

If the hearing loss occurs in just one ear, patients also find it hard to locate the origin of sounds.

Three people which two of them are talking

They may stop participating in conversations or avoid social gatherings because they are afraid they cannot communicate clearly.

Trembling person holding a hand to his temple

Individuals notice a loss of balance or dizziness (more common in cases of Ménière’s disease).

Ear that hears a buzzing sound

Ringing or buzzing in the ears (tinnitus).

Earache

Regarding otitis, the acute form of the disease manifests with earache (otalgia), fever, irritability and autophony (perception your own voice is too loud). 

An otological check can observe only alterations affecting the outer ear (such as wax plugs or water-related otitis) or the middle ear, such as trauma (e.g., rupture of the tympanic membrane) or otitis. 

Substantiated information by:

Ignacio Berdejo Gago
Miguel Caballero Borrego

Published: 18 May 2018
Updated: 28 March 2025

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