You know you’re feeling cranky these days but you’re not quite 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 aggravating. Last night your daughter seemed irritated with you when you asked her to turn the tv volume up over and over again leading to her suddenly leaving the house. Why would she do that?
Maybe the real issue is hearing loss!
As you age hearing loss can sneak up on you and over 40 million people in the US suffer with it. And the issue goes beyond only your ears. Even slight hearing loss puts you at risk of depression, memory loss, and even cognitive decline, according to some research. What you might believe is merely a sign of age, could actually be a treatable medical problem. Perhaps, your co-workers didn’t leave you out of the conversation after all, perhaps you missed crucial conversational queues because you couldn’t hear them. The truth is, if you can’t hear properly during your everyday life, it can become extremely frustrating.
Get the facts about hearing loss
Finding out a little bit more about what you’re struggling with is a practical place to start. For many people, hearing loss is a normal side effect of growing older. But for others, it may be due to years of noise overexposure. Everything from the music you listened to when you were 16, to driving with the window down in traffic, to mowing lawns and picking up leaves with that loud leaf blower could contribute to hearing loss. The delicate mechanisms in your ear can be damaged by lots of sounds in the world.
Chronic diseases that become more prevalent as one grows older 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 often taken for granted:
- When there’s background noise, like an AC or fan running, you struggle to hear words
- You regularly feel like you are being excluded from the conversations
- You’re always asking people to repeat what they said or even worse, saying ‘what’ a lot
Naturally, you’d be grumpy if you’ve been dealing with any of these symptoms! Depression and social isolation can be the consequence of feeling detached from your world.
Treating hearing loss
One of the first things you can do is ask family and friends if they have observed you having a hard time hearing. It’s a crucial conversation even if it’s a difficult one. A hearing examination should be the next thing that you do, particularly if people have observed you having a hard time hearing. Ask your loved one to accompany you to your appointment. A supportive, calming friend can be extremely helpful.
Your hearing test will both gauge whether you’re experiencing hearing loss and how extensive it has become. If hearing loss is determined, we will recommend the next strategy for you depending on the results of the test. In the majority of cases, that will entail getting hearing aids. You’ll certainly be able to get a set of hearing aids that will best fit your lifestyle since there are so many styles and options to pick from.
How to choose quality hearing aids
Everyone’s hearing loss is different and we will help you figure out what treatment will be best for yours. You will probably need to try several brands and models before you discover the best fit for your specific taste and hearing needs. Today’s hearing aids do so much more than simply amplify sound. They can determine the direction that sound is coming from, block out background noise, and even link to smartphones and computers. Different brands and types of hearing aids offer different features, so research them to find out what features you require to improve your life.
And, remember to consider styles. Some models have no color and are nearly invisible and other models come in vibrant colors.
If you think you’re suffering from 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/