A certain amount of hearing loss is expected as we age, and because it tends to develop very gradually, most ignore the condition.

In fact, four out of five people who could benefit from treatment never even seek help. And those who do often delay for years.

But the sooner you get an assessment, the sooner you can benefit from treatment.

To get an idea whether you should talk with a doctor about your hearing, answer yes or no to the following questions:

1. Is it hard to follow conversations when two or more people are talking at once?

2. Do you have difficulty hearing what people are saying on the telephone?

3. Do you hesitate meeting new people because of your hearing difficulties?

4. Does background noise in a restaurant or crowd make it difficult for you to understand what somebody is saying?

5. Do you often think other people are mumbling?

6. Do others complain that you keep the volume on the television or stereo too high?

If you answered yes to two or more of these questions, consider talking to your doctor about getting your hearing checked.