An audiologist has highlighted five symptoms that older people should not ignore, as research shows nearly half of those over 40 experience some degree of hearing loss. Martyn Lamb, audiologist at The Hearing Centres, recommends regular hearing checks to identify potential issues early and prevent them from going unnoticed.
Hearing loss statistics in the UK
The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), a charity supporting more than 18 million people, revealed that 45% of people over 40 and 55% of people over 50 have some difficulty hearing. Around nine million working-age adults have hearing loss in one or both ears.
The 2024 Lancet Commission identified hearing loss as one of 14 potentially modifiable dementia risk factors. In its population model, hearing loss carried a population-attributable fraction of 7%.
Five red flag symptoms
Mr Lamb said: "Many people will happily monitor their eyesight, blood pressure or cholesterol from middle age, but hearing often does not receive the same attention until it begins creating obvious problems."
He added: "We should move away from thinking that hearing care begins when somebody reaches a particular age. If your hearing changes in your 40s or 50s, it is worth investigating then rather than simply adapting around it for years."
Difficulty following work meetings
People with hearing loss may start to struggle following work meetings. They may be able to hear colleagues speaking but lose parts of the discussion when voices overlap or somebody turns away.
Mr Lamb said: "If meetings that once felt straightforward now require intense concentration, or you regularly need colleagues to repeat information afterwards, it is worth considering whether hearing is contributing."
Repetition in family conversations
Some people might miss conversations in busy households. Repeatedly asking a partner or children to say something again may become a familiar pattern before it is recognised as a hearing issue.
Mr Lamb explained: "When repetition becomes a routine part of conversation rather than an occasional occurrence, it is worth paying attention to the change."
Podcasts and radio are less clear
Podcasts and car radios can become less clear to hear with engine, road, and background noise. Increasing the volume, replaying sections or missing transport announcements may indicate a change, particularly when the same material used to be easy to follow.
Mr Lamb said: "The useful question is not whether one recording or announcement was difficult, but whether spoken audio is repeatedly becoming less clear across different journeys and devices."
Social occasions take more effort
Some people with hearing difficulties may opt to leave meals, events, or celebrations early as they are mentally drained. It can take more effort and concentration to separate speech from background noise.
Mr Lamb said: "Some people describe finishing social situations feeling mentally exhausted because they have been concentrating intensely throughout the conversation."
People increasingly seem to mumble
Hearing difficulty does not necessarily make every sound quieter. Softer speech sounds may become less distinct, meaning somebody can hear a voice but miss individual words across conversations.
Mr Lamb said: "If different people increasingly appear to mumble, the common factor may be a change in hearing rather than the way everybody else speaks."
