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It seems as if every word and sound melt together when different people talk together at a party. Do I have poor hearing?
If you think it gets very noisy every time you are at a party and sounds melt together, you might be suffering from hearing loss. It can be very difficult to follow a conversation at a party or at other crowded places if you suffer from untreated hearing loss. When you have a hearing problem, it is common to be very tired after having had conversations with different people, for example at a meeting. You have to concentrate hard all the time to be able to hear and that is often not enough.

I am so terribly tired after being together with a lot of people. It was not like that before. Has it something to do with my hearing?
If you think you are more tired now than a couple of years ago after being with a lot of people, I think you should see your family doctor. There could be many reasons for this, one of them being hearing loss. If you suffer from a hearing problem and it remains untreated, trying to follow a conversation can be very tiring.

I was nearly run down by a car the other day. I did not hear it. I wonder if I have a hearing problem.
Perhaps you were day dreaming. Go back a few months and try to remember if there have been other occasions concerning your hearing, for example if your family has been telling you that the television was much too loud, if your children have said that you do not listen anymore or anything else along those lines. If you think there have been problems, you should see your family doctor and talk to him. You may be suffering from a hearing problem.

A couple of days ago my daughter said: "Mummy, I have to talk much louder to you than I do at school". Do I have a hearing problem?
That is hard to say. It could be that your daughter is mumbling or speaking to you from far away. Try going back some months or a year and see if you can remember other occasions. It is difficult to communicate with certain colleagues at meetings or is there a good friend that keeps repeating words over and over again? If there have been different occasions concerning your hearing it would be a good idea to go and see the family doctor. You may be suffering from a hearing problem.

The other day my neighbour pointed at and said: "Why don't you say good morning anymore? Have I insulted you?
I had simply not noticed him - do I have a hearing problem?
It is difficult to say but you may be right. Is it uncommon for someone to tell you that you have not heard a word of what was being said or do people often tell you that you are not listening or concentrating? If it happens often, you should see your family doctor.

My work place is very noisy. Am I going to have hearing problems? How much noise can I tolerate?
It is true that noise is the most common reason for getting hearing problems. It is also true that noisy work environments increase the risk of developing a hearing problem. It is impossible to say if you are going to suffer from hearing loss. It is highly individual as to how much noise a person can tolerate before his or her hearing becomes damaged. It is important to emphasise that a hearing problem is often discovered many years after the person has been exposed to excessive noise - so you should take care of your ears and use hearing protectors. Hearing aids can help you, but you will never regain you natural hearing once it is damaged.

For some time I have had a constant noise in my ears. Is that a sign of a hearing problem?
Constant noise in the ears is always a serious sign and therefore you must take care of your hearing. It is possible that you already suffer from hearing loss. Constant noise in the ears is often accompanied by hearing loss. You should see your family doctor as soon as possible.

One of my relatives has a poor hearing. Sometimes I think I have a problem, too. Am I at risk of getting a hearing problem?
Most hearing problems are caused by old age or too much noise. But hereditary hearing loss is also quite common. If you think that your hearing is poor, you should see your family doctor. If it turns out that you suffer from hearing loss, you may have inherited it, and you could be in a risk group. But it is important to remember that almost every kind of hearing loss can be treated in one way or another.

My hearing is best when I am standing face to face with a person. Do I have a hearing problem?
Everybody likes to be standing face to face with the person they are talking to. Personal communication is most successful when you can see the face and body language of the other person - it is an important part of communication between individuals. But if you cannot follow a conversation when the person talking to you is standing behind you, you may suffer from a hearing problem. Perhaps you are over coming a problem of reduced hearing by reading lips. If this is the case, you should see your family doctor.

If I believe I have a hearing problem, who should I talk to?
You should see your family doctor. The family doctor has been trained to ask you more questions about hearing loss and if he is in doubt, he will recommend that you take a hearing test.

If it turns out that I need a hearing aid, will I then regain my hearing?
Almost any kind of hearing loss can be treated, and the hearing-impaired person will be able to hear well again - but it is not possible to regain one's natural hearing.

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