The 4 Biggest Early Warning Signs You're Experiencing Hearing Loss

While we often think of hearing loss as something that only happens to much older people ― that’s actually not the case.

According to the National Institute of Deafness and Hearing Disorders , 1 in 8 people in the United States over the age of 12 have hearing loss in both ears, and about 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from hearing aids.

While struggling to hear may be the most obvious sign that you need to get your ears checked, it’s not the only one. We asked audiologists to share the top signs that it’s time to get your hearing checked. Here’s what they had to say:

1. You’re struggling to keep up with conversations.

If you constantly find yourself saying “what?” during conversations, it may be time to get your ears checked.

“S training to hear when talking with others or keeping up in conversations is a big one,” said Terry Zwolan , director of Audiology Access & Standard of Care for Cochlear Americas. “This can include finding it difficult to hear in the presence of background noise, and regularly asking people to repeat what they’ve said or mishearing often.”

2. You have to turn the volume on the TV way up.

Whether other people tell you to turn the TV down regularly or you’re astounded by the number you see on the volume button, that can be a sign that it’s time to get your ears checked.

“You may find yourself turning up the volume on the TV or radio to a level that is louder than others prefer or feel like people are mumbling,” Zwolan said.

3. Your ears are ringing.

While ringing in the ears (or tinnitus) isn’t always a sign of hearing loss, it certainly can be. “Some people may experience persistent ringing, buzzing, pain or pressure in one or both ears,” Zwolan said. “It also may be hard to hear