You know you’re feeling cranky these days but you’re not quite certainly why. Well, it was frustrating earlier today when you felt left out of the meeting at the office. 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. Why would she do that?
Did you ever stop to think that perhaps you could be experiencing hearing loss?
Hearing loss is an issue for around 40 million individuals in the US and can sneak up on you with age. And the problem goes beyond only your ears. Even mild hearing loss puts you at risk of depression, memory loss, and even dementia, according to some research. What you may believe is just an indication of age, could actually be a treatable medical condition. Maybe, your co-workers didn’t leave you out of the conversation after all, maybe you missed critical conversational queues because you didn’t hear them. Honestly, it can be exceedingly frustrating when you can’t hear during your day-to-day life.
Discover more about hearing loss
A good place to begin is finding out more about what you’re dealing with. For many individuals, hearing loss is a natural side effect of growing older. But for other people, it may be caused by years of noise overexposure. Everything from the music you listened to when you were a teenager, to driving with the window down in traffic, to mowing lawns and picking up leaves with that loud leaf blower could contribute to a loss of hearing. The delicate mechanisms in your ear can be harmed by lots of sounds in the world.
Long-term diseases that become more prevalent with age are a possible factor as well. High blood pressure, for instance, or diabetes can both hinder blood flow, which causes damage to the inner ear.
Recognize the signs
People often take their hearing for granted, so when it begins to fail they don’t detect the signs:
- You’re always asking people to repeat themselves or even worse, saying ‘what’ all of the time
- You always feel like you are being excluded from the discussions
- When there is background noise, like an AC or fan running, you struggle to hear words
If you recognize any of these hearing loss symptoms, it’s no wonder you’re cranky! Depression and social solitude can be the outcome of feeling detached from your world.
Develop a plan to treat hearing loss
Start by asking a family member or a loved one if they have seen you struggling to hear conversations or if you say “What?” a little too often. It’s a crucial discussion even if it’s a difficult one. If if they answer ‘yes’ then scheduling a hearing examination should be your next move and will simplify things for you. Try to get a family member to accompany you to your appointment. A supportive, calming presence can be extremely helpful.
Your hearing exam will both gauge whether you’re dealing with hearing loss and how extensive it has become. Depending on the results of your exam, we will be able to decide on your best plan going forward. In the majority of instances, that will entail getting hearing aids. Don’t stress, there are so many choices and features that you’re certain to find hearing aids that fit your lifestyle!
Deciding on quality hearing aids
Everyone’s hearing loss is unique and we will help you discover what treatment will be best for yours. You will most likely need to test several brands and models before you find the best fit for your specific taste and hearing requirements. Today’s hearing aids do a lot more than simply amplify sound. They can block out background noises, connect to smartphones and computers, and even pinpoint the direction of a sound. Do some research to find out which brands and models have the features that will best fit your lifestyle and needs.
Think about the style you want for your hearing aids, also. They come in various fashionable colors or with no color at all, so they’re practically invisible.
If you think you’re dealing with hearing loss, schedule an appointment with our qualified hearing specialists today. It’s time to get out of that grumpy mindset and we can help!
References
https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/hearing-loss-america/