5 Early Signs of Hearing Loss

5 Early Signs of Hearing Loss and When to Seek Help

You might not notice it right away, but if you’re struggling to hear conversations or suffering with fatigue after a social outing, you may be experiencing hearing loss. Thankfully, the earlier you recognise the signs of hearing loss, the easier it is to manage. In this helpful blog, we’ll walk you through five early signs of hearing loss and when to seek help, so you can stay connected to the sounds and people you love.

Difficulty Hearing In Noisy Environments

Struggling to follow conversations when there’s background noise is one of the earliest signs of hearing loss. Studies have found that damage to tiny hair cells in the inner ear reduces the ability to focus on speech in noisy settings.¹ Whether you’re at a crowded bar, party, or restaurant, you may find it more difficult to follow conversations in these environments where there is a lot of background noise.

Feeling Drained After Social Events

If you’ve ever come home from a social gathering and felt mentally exhausted, you could be experiencing listening fatigue. When your ears struggle to pick up sounds clearly, your brain has to work overtime to fill in missing information. This extra effort uses up mental energy, which can leave you feeling tired and drained after conversations. Research suggests untreated hearing loss can increase cognitive load, contributing to fatigue and difficulty concentrating.²

Withdrawing From Conversations

When hearing becomes challenging, it’s not uncommon for people to experience stress and heightened anxiety around having conversations. This can lead them to withdraw from social events altogether. Studies have found that older adults with hearing loss are more likely to be socially isolated and report loneliness compared to those without hearing loss.³

If you find yourself retreating from social events or withdrawing from conversations due to difficulty hearing, it may be an indication you have hearing loss.

Tinnitus Or Ringing In The Ears

Tinnitus is another common sign of hearing loss and is described as a buzzing or ringing in the ears that is not caused by an external source. It can be persistent or come and go, and usually occurs when the hair cells of your inner ear are damaged or stressed.⁴ You may notice a quiet ringing after a concert or persistent buzzing when trying to sleep.

Struggling To Hear High-Pitched Sounds

Difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds like the doorbell, the phone ringing, or a dog barking, are all common with hearing loss. Typically, this occurs as a result of damage to the tiny hair cells in the inner ear, making it harder to detect high-pitched sounds.¹ Because most people can still hear low-frequency sounds, this can go unnoticed. However, missing high-pitched cues can affect communication and safety.

When Should You Get Your Hearing Checked?

If you’ve noticed one or more of these signs, it’s worth booking an appointment to get your hearing checked. By addressing hearing issues early, you can help preserve your quality of life, improve communication, and prevent further complications down the road.⁵ Remember, hearing well isn’t just about protecting your ears - it’s about staying connected, engaged, and confident in the world around you.

Hear More From Sam

In this video, Sam, one of our experienced audiologists at Connect Hearing, breaks down the top five early signs of hearing loss in everyday scenarios.
Watch the video on YouTube to learn how to spot the signs early and take control of your hearing health.

Think you might be missing more than you realise? Book a hearing check at your local Connect Hearing clinic today. Our experienced team can address any concerns you may have and help you take the first steps towards clearer listening.

References:

1. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (16 April 2025), Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, www.nidcd.nih.gov, accessed 20 June 2025.
2. Johns Hopkins Medicine (n.d.), The Hidden Risks Of Hearing Loss, www.hopkinsmedicine.org, accessed 20 June 2025.
3. Neurosensory (n.d.), Hearing Loss, Loneliness and Social Isolation, Neurosensory, accessed 20 June 2025.
4. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (1 May 2023), Tinnitus, www.nidcd.nih.gov, accessed 20 June 2025.
5. Gerontologist (18 March 2016), Aging and Hearing Health: The Life-course Approach, National Library of Medicine, accessed 20 June 2025.