You aren’t quite sure why, but you’ve been feeling cranky lately. Well, you did feel excluded earlier today when no one took the time to pull you into the meeting discussion at the office and that was annoying. Last night your daughter seemed irritated with you when you asked her to turn up the volume of the TV over and over again leading to her abruptly leaving the house. What’s the deal with that?
Did you ever stop to think that perhaps you could be suffering from hearing loss?
As you age hearing loss can take you by surprise and over 40 million individuals in the US suffer with it. And, the issue doesn’t end at your ears, either. Research shows that even slight hearing loss puts you at risk for memory problems, cognitive decline, and even depression. What you may presume is simply a sign of age, could actually be a treatable medical condition. Maybe, your co-workers didn’t leave you out of the conversation after all, perhaps you missed crucial conversational queues because you didn’t hear them. The fact is, if you can’t hear very well during your day-to-day life, it can become incredibly frustrating.
Discover more about hearing loss
Learning a little more about what you’re dealing with is a useful place to begin. Hearing loss does happen to many people due to the aging process. But for other people, it may be due to years of noise overexposure. Everything from the music you listened to when you were a teenager, to driving with the window down in heavy traffic, to mowing lawns and cleaning up leaves with that loud leaf blower could contribute to hearing loss. The fragile mechanisms in your ear can be harmed by lots of sounds in the world.
Long-term diseases that become more prevalent as one grows older are a potential factor as well. High blood pressure, for instance, or diabetes can both hinder blood flow, which causes harm to the inner ear.
Recognize the signs
People often take their hearing for granted, so when it starts to fail they don’t detect the signs:
- When there is background sound, like an AC or fan running, you struggle to hear words
- You regularly say “what” and often need people to repeat what they said
- When individuals are having discussions, you always feel left out
If you notice any of these hearing loss indicators, it’s no wonder you’re grumpy! Feeling detached from your world can cause depression and even social solitude.
Managing hearing loss
Start by asking a family member or a loved one if they have seen you working hard to hear conversations or if you say “What?” a little too frequently. It might seem like a challenging conversation but it’s a really important one. A hearing examination should be the next thing that you do, especially if people have noticed you having a tough time hearing. Ask your loved one to accompany you to your appointment. It can be helpful to have a calm and supportive presence with you.
Your hearing test will not only help to verify your hearing loss but it will also gauge the extent of it. Depending on the results of your test, we will be able to figure out your best plan moving forward. Normally, hearing aids will be a principal part of the treatment plan. Don’t worry, there are so many options and features that you’re certain to get hearing aids that are perfect for your lifestyle!
Deciding on quality hearing aids
We’ll have recommendations that will be best suited for your unique type of hearing loss. Take some to time determine the right brand and model for your needs, this might require testing a few styles and models. Hearing aids don’t simply amplify sound nowadays. They can block out background sounds, link to smartphones and computers, and even determine the direction of a sound. Do some research to find out which brands and models provide the features that will best fit your lifestyle and requirements.
Think about the style you want for your hearing aids, as well. They come in various snazzy colors or with no color at all, so they’re virtually invisible.
If you think you’re experiencing hearing loss, make 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/
