The first step in treating a hearing loss is to realize that one exists. If your friend or relative shows one or more of the following symptoms, encourage them gently to seek medical advice:

• Trouble understanding speech that originates far away, such as in concert halls, theatres, or churches              
• Difficulty hearing a phone ring              
• Difficulty hearing when in a group of people or in the presence of background noise, such as traffic              
• Avoiding social gatherings and other public occasions where they might feel embarrassed about misunderstanding others              
• Asking you or others to repeat themselves because they have trouble understanding what is being said              
• Turning their head or cupping their ear to focus on a certain sound or speaker              
• Watching television or listening to the radio at a much louder volume than you or others normally do