You aren’t quite sure why, but you’ve been feeling cranky lately. Well, it was annoying earlier this morning when you felt left out of the meeting at the office. Your daughter got up and suddenly left the house after becoming frustrated when you kept asking her to turn the TV volume up. Why would she do that?
Did you ever stop to think that maybe you could be experiencing hearing loss?
As you get older hearing loss can sneak up on you and over 40 million people in the US suffer with it. And, the issue doesn’t end at your ears, either. Even slight hearing loss puts you at risk of depression, memory problems, and even dementia, according to some research. You could have a manageable medical condition causing your hearing loss but you think it’s just an indication of aging. Perhaps, you missed essential conversational cues and your coworkers didn’t actually exclude you from the meeting after all. Honestly, it can be extremely aggravating when you can’t hear during your daily life.
Learn more about hearing loss
A good place to start is learning more about what you’re coping with. Hearing loss does happen to lots of individuals due to the aging process. But years of exposure to excessively loud sound can also be the cause for others. Everything from the music you listened to when you were a teenager, 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 delicate mechanisms in your ear can be harmed by lots of noises in the world.
Another possible cause of hearing loss is chronic disease that becomes more prevalent as we grow older. When you have conditions that cause problems with your blood pressure, your inner ear can become damaged.
Recognize the signs
People often take their hearing for granted, so when it begins to go they don’t detect the signs:
- You always feel like you are being left out of the discussions
- You regularly say “what” and often need people to repeat what they said
- When there’s background sound, like an AC or fan running, you have a hard time hearing words
If you notice any of these hearing loss symptoms, it’s no wonder you’re cranky! Feeling separated from your world can cause depression and even social solitude.
Managing hearing loss
Begin by asking a family member or a loved one if they have seen you working hard to keep up with conversations or if you say “What?” a little too frequently. It may seem like a difficult talk but it’s a very important one. If if they answer ‘yes’ then scheduling a hearing assessment should be your next step and will clarify things for you. Try to get a loved one to accompany you to your appointment. A supportive, calming presence can be most helpful.
Your hearing test will not only help to establish your hearing loss but it will also gauge the extent of it. If hearing loss is identified, we will recommend the next strategy for you based on the results of the test. In the majority of cases, that will entail getting hearing aids. Don’t stress, there are so many options and features that you’re sure to get hearing aids that fit your lifestyle!
How to select quality hearing aids
We’ll have suggestions that will be best suited for your unique type of hearing loss. You will probably need to evaluate several brands and models before you discover the best fit for your particular taste and hearing requirements. Today’s hearing aids do a lot more than simply amplify sound. They can identify the direction that sound is coming from, block out background sound, and even connect to smartphones and computers. Different brands and types of hearing aids come with different features, so do some research to find out what features you require to better your life.
Consider the style you want for your hearing aids, also. They come in lots of snazzy colors or with no color at all, so they are virtually invisible.
Schedule a hearing test with our qualified hearing specialists right away if you believe you could be suffering with hearing loss. 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/