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Hearing loss is rarely sudden or total, unless you are exposed to an exceptionally loud noise or head trauma. It’s usually gradual—sometimes so gradual that your family and friends may notice the problem before you do.
Here are 10 questions to help determine whether you (or a loved one) should have your hearing tested:

The need to constantly raise the TV volume is a telling sign that one has a hearing loss.
Do you have difficulty hearing over the telephone?
Do you have trouble following the conversation when two or more people are talking at the same time?
Do people complain that you turn the TV volume up too high?
Do you have to strain to understand conversation?
Do you have trouble hearing in a noisy background?
Do you find yourself asking people to repeat themselves?
Do the people you talk to seem to mumble or speak unclearly?
Do you misunderstand what others are saying frequently?
Do you have trouble understanding soft speech or voices?
Are people frequently annoyed due to your misunderstanding of what was said?
If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, schedule a professional hearing evaluation with a hearing healthcare professional.
“Often the individual with hearing loss is unaware of what they cannot hear. Improvement of hearing could improve their quality of life.”
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The material on this page is for general information only and is not intended for diagnostic or treatment purposes. A doctor or other healthcare professional must be consulted for diagnostic information and advice regarding treatment.
Our data showed that introducing the mutated nicotinic receptor into otherwise healthy ears can prevent, to some extent, permanent auditory damage caused by loud noise and accelerate hearing recovery.