You aren’t really certain why, but you’ve been feeling moody lately. Well, you did feel excluded earlier this morning when no one bothered to bring you into the meeting discussion at the office and that was irritating. The other night your daughter seemed irritated with you when you asked her to turn up the volume of the TV over and over again resulting in her abruptly leaving the house. Why would she do that?
Did you ever stop to think that maybe you could be battling with hearing loss?
As you get older hearing loss can take you by surprise and over 40 million people in the US suffer with it. And the issue goes beyond only your ears. Research reveals that even slight hearing loss puts you at risk for memory issues, dementia, and even depression. What you might think is just an indication of age, may actually be a treatable medical condition. Perhaps, your co-workers didn’t leave you out of the conversation after all, perhaps you missed critical conversational queues because you couldn’t hear them. Honestly, it can be exceedingly aggravating when you can’t hear during your day-to-day life.
Learn more about hearing loss
Finding out a little bit more about what you’re struggling with is a practical place to begin. Hearing loss does happen to many people as a result of the aging process. But for other people, it might be caused by years of noise overexposure. Noise-related hearing loss can be a result of lots of noise sources, including mowing the lawn and leaf blowing, listening to loud music, and driving in loud traffic with the window down. The world is full of potentially ear-damaging sound that can deteriorate the delicate mechanisms that help you hear.
Long-term diseases that become more common with age are a possible factor as well. When you have disorders that cause issues with your blood pressure, your inner ear can become damaged.
Recognize the signs
People typically don’t detect when their hearing begins to go because hearing is frequently taken for granted:
- When there’s background sound, like an AC or fan running, you struggle to hear words
- You’re always asking people to repeat themselves or even worse, saying ‘what’ all of the time
- You regularly feel like you are being excluded from the conversations
Obviously, you’d be grumpy if you’ve been dealing with any of these symptoms! Feeling detached from your world can result in depression and even social isolation.
Managing hearing loss
Begin by asking a family member or a loved one if they have noticed you struggling to hear conversations or if you say “What?” a little too frequently. It’s a crucial discussion even if it’s a difficult one. A hearing test should be next on your list, especially if people have observed you having a hard time hearing. Ask your loved one to accompany you to your appointment. A supportive, calming presence can be most helpful.
Your hearing examination will not only help to establish your hearing loss but it will also gauge the degree of it. If hearing loss is identified, we will recommend the next strategy for you based on the results of the exam. Normally, hearing aids will be a major part of the treatment plan. You’ll certainly be able to get a set of hearing aids that will best fit your situation since there are so many styles and options to choose from.
Deciding on quality hearing aids
We’ll have suggestions that will be best suited for your unique type of hearing loss. You will probably need to try a few brands and models before you find the best fit for your specific taste and hearing requirements. Hearing aids don’t simply amplify sound nowadays. They can block out background noises, connect to smartphones and computers, and even pinpoint the direction that sound is coming from. Different brands and kinds of hearing aids offer different features, so research them to determine what features you need to better your life.
And, don’t forget to consider styles. Some models have no color and are almost invisible and other models come in dazzling colors.
If you think you’re experiencing hearing loss, schedule an appointment with our qualified hearing specialists right away. It’s time to get out of that cranky mindset and we can help!
References
https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/hearing-loss-america/
