You know you’re feeling moody these days but you’re not exactly certainly why. Well, you did feel left out earlier today when no one bothered to bring you into the meeting discussion at the office and that was annoying. Last night your daughter seemed annoyed 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 perhaps you could be experiencing hearing loss?
Hearing loss is a problem for around 40 million individuals in the US and can sneak up on you with age. And, the issue doesn’t end at your ears, either. Research indicates that even mild hearing loss puts you at risk for memory problems, cognitive decline, and even depression. What you might believe is just a sign of age, may actually be a treatable medical condition. Perhaps, you missed significant conversational cues and your coworkers didn’t actually leave you out of the meeting after all. Honestly, it can be exceedingly frustrating when you can’t hear during your day-to-day life.
Discover more about hearing loss
Finding out a little bit more about what you’re struggling with is a practical place to begin. For many individuals, hearing loss is a normal side effect of growing older. But years of exposure to overly loud noise can also be the cause for others. Everything from the music you listened to when you were 16, to driving with the window down in traffic, to mowing lawns and cleaning up leaves with that loud leaf blower could contribute to hearing loss. The world is full of potentially ear-damaging sound that can erode the fragile mechanisms that help you hear.
Chronic diseases that become more prevalent as one grows older are a potential factor as well. When you have disorders that cause problems with your blood pressure, your inner ear can become damaged.
Recognize the signs
People normally take their hearing for granted, so when it starts to go they don’t recognize the signs:
- When there’s background noise, like an AC or fan running, you struggle to hear words
- You always feel like you are being excluded from the discussions
- You frequently say “what” and often need people to repeat what they said
Naturally, you’d be grumpy if you’ve been coping with any of these symptoms! Feeling isolated from your world can lead to depression and even social solitude.
Create a plan to manage hearing loss
One of the very first things you can do is ask friends and family members if they have seen you having a difficult time hearing. It’s an important conversation even if it’s a challenging one. A hearing test should be the next thing that you do, particularly if people have noticed you having a hard time hearing. Try to get a loved one to go along with you to your appointment. A supportive, calming presence can be really helpful.
Your hearing examination will not only help to confirm your hearing loss but it will also gauge the extent of it. If hearing loss is identified, we will advise the next course of action for you based on the results of the test. Usually, hearing aids will be a major part of the treatment plan. You’ll certainly be able to get a pair of hearing aids that will best fit your lifestyle since there are so many styles and options to pick from.
Picking out quality hearing aids
Everyone’s hearing loss is different and we will help you discover what treatment will be best for yours. Take some to time find the right brand and model for your needs, this may require testing several styles and models. Today’s hearing aids do a lot more than simply amplify sound. They can pinpoint the direction that sound is coming from, block out background sound, and even connect to smartphones and computers. Different brands and kinds of hearing aids have different features, so do some research to find out what features you need to better your life.
And, remember to think about styles. Some models have no color and are virtually invisible and other models come in dazzling colors.
Schedule a hearing test with our qualified hearing specialists right away if you think you could be experiencing hearing loss. 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/
