Hearing loss means much more than being deaf. Your ability to communicate is threatened even when you miss parts of words. This can happen with high-frequency hearing loss, when some sounds — such as certain conso­nants — may be hard to hear. For instance, fall may sound like tall, or sell may sound like Jell.

Even people with mild hearing loss can miss pitch, vol­ume and other qualities that speakers assign to words. These qualities communicate a whole world of subtle meaning.

Watch for early signs

To protect your full range of hearing, look for early signs of hearing loss. Start by taking the following quiz from theNational Institute on Deafness and Other CommunicationDisorders (NIDCD). Remember that this quiz is just for general information. Only your doctor can diagnose hearing loss.

• Do you have a problem 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 many people you talk to seem to mumble or not
speak clearly?

• Do you misunderstand what others are saying and
respond inappropriately?

• Do you have trouble understanding the speech of
women and children?

• Do people get annoyed because you misunderstand
what they say?

If you answered yes to three or more of the questions onthis NIDCD quiz, call your doctor and ask about getting ahearing test. (See Tip 5: Get Professional Help on page 16.)

In addition, go through these questions with your spouseor a close friend. These people might notice signs of hearing loss long before you do. Their answers could prompt you to get help right away.