Which of the following is a sign of hearing loss?

• A. Asking a question to be repeated several times
• B. Turning the head straining to hear
• C. Ignoring phone or doorbell rings
• D. Speaking loudly in normal conversation

Answer: (B)

Difficulty hearing is shown when someone adjusts how they listen, such as turning the head and straining to hear because they’re trying to pick up the speech more clearly. This behavioral cue directly reflects the person’s attempt to compensate for reduced auditory input, a common response in hearing loss.

Asking someone to repeat can also occur with hearing issues, but it can happen for other reasons too, like background noise or momentary not catching what was said. Ignoring a phone or doorbell might be due to distraction or other factors, not necessarily a persistent hearing problem. Speaking loudly in normal conversation could be due to environmental noise or the speaker’s habit, and isn’t as specific a marker of the listener’s hearing loss.