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Hearing basics7 signs your parent may need a hearing test
Hearing loss usually comes on slowly. Families often notice it before the person does. These are the signs to watch for.
1. They ask people to repeat themselves
"Kya bola?" once in a while is normal. If it happens in most conversations, especially with softer voices like children and women, it is a common early sign.
2. The TV is always loud
If others in the house keep turning the volume down, or neighbours complain, your parent may not be hearing clearly at normal levels.
3. They struggle in noisy places
Weddings, temples, markets and family dinners are hard because many voices mix with background noise. People with hearing loss often go quiet or leave early.
4. Phone calls are difficult
Phone audio has no lip-reading help. If your parent avoids calls, hands the phone to someone else or keeps saying the line is bad, take note.
5. They answer the wrong question
Mishearing words leads to replies that don't fit. This is sometimes mistaken for memory problems, which is one more reason to test hearing.
6. Ringing or buzzing in the ears
Tinnitus often comes with hearing loss. It can be a hissing, ringing or buzzing sound that others cannot hear.
7. They are pulling away from people
When listening takes effort, socialising becomes tiring. Withdrawal, irritability or low mood can be linked to untreated hearing loss.
hearing drops suddenly in one or both ears, or there is ear pain, discharge, bleeding or dizziness. Sudden hearing loss needs prompt medical care, ideally within 72 hours.
What to do next
- Try our free 2-minute hearing check together.
- Book a proper hearing test with a licensed audiologist. It is painless and takes under an hour.
- Read how to talk to a parent about hearing loss if they are unwilling.