Trouble hearing only spoken words?

[tampam4]

This seems to have taken a turn for the worse in the most recent months, but not to the point of becoming a severe problem. I'm noticing that I have a harder time clearly understanding vocal communication. I was at the movies the other day and while I understood the context, I think I only heard about 50% of the dialogue clearly (new Robin Hood movie). It also happens very frequently that I constantly have to ask someone to repeat what they say. I do listen to music for multiple hours every day, some of it at what most people would consider loud volume, but the strange thing is I only have trouble hearing spoken words. Whenever I take hearing exams I'm always near perfect hearing. Anybody experience something similar? AS I am only 20 years old, this does bother me when I think down the road 5-10 years and further.

[rifleman2000]

This seems to have taken a turn for the worse in the most recent months, but not to the point of becoming a severe problem. I'm noticing that I have a harder time clearly understanding vocal communication. I was at the movies the other day and while I understood the context, I think I only heard about 50% of the dialogue clearly (new Robin Hood movie). It also happens very frequently that I constantly have to ask someone to repeat what they say. I do listen to music for multiple hours every day, some of it at what most people would consider loud volume, but the strange thing is I only have trouble hearing spoken words. Whenever I take hearing exams I'm always near perfect hearing. Anybody experience something similar? AS I am only 20 years old, this does bother me when I think down the road 5-10 years and further.

I have mild/moderate hearing loss from gunfire. The only real symptom is making out words over background noises. Some movies are very hard to make out.

Sounds like you have the same thing... maybe worse though.

[tampam4]

I have mild/moderate hearing loss from gunfire. The only real symptom is making out words over background noises. Some movies are very hard to make out.

Sounds like you have the same thing... maybe worse though.

how is your hearing in regards to other things, such as a car door slamming, footsteps, keys shaking? Besides the spoken word, my hearing seems to be just fine:confused:

[rifleman2000]

how is your hearing in regards to other things, such as a car door slamming, footsteps, keys shaking? Besides the spoken word, my hearing seems to be just fine:confused:

It's fine, just like yours.

[lethal dose]

how long has this been noticeable? i have temporarily damaged my hearing at band practice... it is usually ok the next morning. often times it is accompanied by a muffled "swirling" effect in my case. i highly recommend seeing a family practitioner... they may refer you to an audiologist.

[tinman44]

wierd. i to have had this problem, i could be trying to listen to someone and hear a car door close or a footstep and get the location of the source correct.

[ChicagoTex]

It's also possible you may have some sort of mild neurological disorder. You may be physically hearing the words, but your brain might not be recognizing or processing them correctly.

Did this start fairly abruptly or did it come on gradually?

[10MMGary]

how long has this been noticeable? i have temporarily damaged my hearing at band practice... it is usually ok the next morning. often times it is accompanied by a muffled "swirling" effect in my case. i highly recommend seeing a family practitioner... they may refer you to an audiologist.

According to my Audiologist there is no such thing as temporary hearing damage. It is cumulative and will only get worse unless you protect your hearing. It one has experienced a noise loud enough to cause ear ringing they have caused permanent damage(even if it is minor damage).

[Naxet1959]

Go to a nearby super WalMart. They have hearing centers that will test you for free. The equipment is good, no requirement to buy. Do it just to see if and what you're missing... if you haven't made an appointment with an audiologist already.

[arizona98tj]

Whenever I take hearing exams I'm always near perfect hearing. Anybody experience something similar? AS I am only 20 years old, this does bother me when I think down the road 5-10 years and further.

Those exams that I have taken, to determine the extent of hearing loss, have a significant portion of the exam dedicated to word recognition.

When you go to your audiologist for a complete audiological evaluation, your audiologist performs a whole battery of tests. The speech audiometry portion of your audiological evaluation consists of not just one, but two "word" tests—the Speech Reception Threshold (SRT) test and the Speech Discrimination (SD) test. The SRT and the SD tests are entirely different tests—each with totally different objectives.

The purpose of the Speech Reception Threshold (SRT) test, sometimes called the speech-recognition threshold test, is to determine the softest level at which you just begin to recognize speech. That's it. It has nothing to do with speech discrimination.

The purpose of Speech Discrimination (SD) testing (sometimes called word recognition testing) is to determine how well you hear and understand speech when the volume is set at your Most Comfortable Level (MCL).

[Fyrhazzrd]

I've had the same problem for about six months now. Only difference is I just turned 41.

I can hear people talking just find. I can understand them just fine; unless there is any background noise at all. Then I can still hear them, but I can't understand them. It sounds like an episode of charlie brown's teacher or something.

I can also hear ambient noise just fine. I work in an office environment and I can hear someone typing on a keyboard from a good fifty feet away.

[arizona98tj]

Words, as we all know, are made up of vowels and consonants. What you may not know is that vowels and consonants are produced in very different parts of the auditory range.

Certain types of noise can inflict hearing loss in specific areas of the ear's hearing range. When this happens, word recognition becomes difficult...but only certain words, depending on their makeup of vowels and consonants. IIRC, vowels occupy the lower frequency spectrum while consonants are higher. It is those consonants that help distinguished one word apart from a similar sounding word. Damage that part of your hearing range and you end up with "What was that again?".

[tampam4]

how long has this been noticeable?

I've really only paid attention to it for the past two or three months. It may have been going on for longer than that, and I've just not taken much note of it or just thought I was going full-retard for a day or so.


Did this start fairly abruptly or did it come on gradually?

Like I said, it may have come gradually or happened quickly, but I just started paying attention to it and from there on out it's been really noticeable.


It one has experienced a noise loud enough to cause ear ringing they have caused permanent damage(even if it is minor damage).

I've heard that as well. May be an old wives tale, but the frequency your ears ring in afterwards is the frequency that you will no longer be able to hear. It always sounds the same to me:D


Go to a nearby super WalMart. They have hearing centers that will test you for free.

Did not know that, thanks for the tip!


I've had the same problem for about six months now.

sounds exactly like the problem I'm having. well put.


Words, as we all know, are made up of vowels and consonants. What you may not know is that vowels and consonants are produced in very different parts of the auditory range.

That is definitely part of my problem as well. There are some words that I have to hear numerous times or more often than others just to get it through.

I'll have to check out that Walmart test, I had my hearing test done at MEPS a few months ago and everything was just fine there, so this is kindof confusing. I'll see what happens.

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Sounds like a case of firstwifebitchignoritis. Usually fixed by lawyers, not audiologists.

[bkb0000]

this is the exact problem i have, and i've had it since sometime in the army. i generally hear pretty good- i seem to hear sounds outside the house or noises in the woods better/before other people. but if there's any background noise, i simply cannot make out what people are saying. movies are bad too.

[cop1211]

Sounds like me, I'm thinking mine is caused by shooting as well, I'm 39 been shooting since I was 18 in the USMC, got out in 1993 been an LEO ever since.

Mine has gotten pretty bad over the past 2 years.

[HES]

Yeah pout me down as having this problem too. At 39 it has gotten to the point where I am now looking for an audiologist and have resigned myself to hearing aids.