Do you hear as well as you once did? Our ENT specialist, Dr. Gordon Siegel of Midwest ENT in Chicago, IL, shares a few common signs 
that may indicate that your hearing has deteriorated.
The entire world has started mumbling
Some people do tend to mumble when they speak, which can make it challenging to hold conversations with them. If it suddenly seems as if everyone has begun to mumble, the problem may actually be caused by hearing loss. Hearing loss effectively turns down the volume on your life, making it much more difficult to follow conversations or identify words, particularly those that sound similar.
You've become an excellent guesser
If you're affected by hearing loss, you may miss words or phrases when you talk to other people. Often, it's possible to fill in those gaps based on the subject of the conversation. When guessing becomes a regular part of your life, it's time to visit our Chicago office for a hearing evaluation.
You've had difficulty getting along with other people
Have you noticed that you're involved in many more disagreements than ever before? If you don't hear questions or comments or miss crucial words in a conversation, your friends or family members may think that you're becoming difficult or uncaring. Relationship problems at home are bad enough, but unfortunately, hearing loss can also affect your relationships at work. Although your family may be willing to overlook issues caused by your poor hearing, your boss may not be quite so forgiving.
It's difficult to hear if there are competing noises
When you have hearing loss, holding a conversation at sporting events or following the dialogue in a movie can be particularly challenging. The problem occurs when background noise makes it hard to hear dialogue or the person next to you.
You prefer emailing and texting to talking on the phone
If you've given up on phone conversations and now resort to emails and texts instead, hearing loss may be to blame. You may be unknowingly relying on visual cues when you hold in-person conversations. Without those cues, it might be very difficult to hear telephone conversations.
Hearing aids may be the solution to your problem
Hearing aids can help improve hearing caused by damage to the hair cells in your inner ear. Hair cell damage can occur as a result of exposure to loud noises or may be caused by aging or certain diseases. Hearing aids not only amplify sounds but also reduce background noise.
Do you have any of these symptoms? Call Dr. Siegel of Midwest ENT in Chicago, IL, at (312) 988-7777 to schedule an appointment and hearing evaluation.