You know you’re feeling cranky these days but you’re not really sure why. Well, you did feel left out earlier today when no one took the time to bring you into the meeting discussion at the office and that was irritating. Your daughter got up and suddenly left the house after becoming frustrated when you kept asking her to turn the volume on the TV up. What’s the deal with that?
Maybe the real problem is hearing loss!
As you get older hearing loss can take you by surprise and over 40 million people in the US suffer with it. And, the issue doesn’t end at your ears, either. Research reveals that even minor hearing loss puts you at risk for memory problems, cognitive decline, and even depression. You might have a treatable medical condition causing your hearing loss but you think it’s merely a sign of aging. Perhaps, you missed essential conversational cues and your coworkers didn’t actually leave you out of the meeting after all. Honestly, it can be extremely frustrating when you can’t hear during your daily life.
Learn more about hearing loss
Finding out a little more about what you’re coping with is a practical place to begin. For many individuals, hearing loss is a natural side effect of getting older. But years of exposure to excessively loud sound can also be the cause for others. Noise-induced hearing loss can be caused by many noise sources, like mowing the lawn and leaf blowing, listening to loud music, and driving in loud traffic with the window down. The world is full of potentially ear-damaging noise that can erode the delicate mechanisms that help you hear.
Long-term diseases that become more common with age are a potential factor as well. High blood pressure, for instance, or diabetes can both interfere with blood flow, which causes damage to the inner ear.
Recognize the signs
People generally don’t recognize when their hearing starts to go because hearing is frequently taken for granted:
- When individuals are conversing, you always feel left out
- You frequently say “what” and often need people to repeat themselves
- When there is background sound, like an AC or fan running, you struggle to hear words
If you notice any of these hearing loss signs, it’s no wonder you’re cranky! Depression and social solitude can be the outcome of feeling separated from your world.
Create a plan to manage hearing loss
One of the first things you can do is ask friends and family members if they have seen you having a difficult time hearing. It may seem like a difficult discussion but it’s a really important one. If if they answer ‘yes’ then scheduling a hearing test should be your next step and will clarify things for you. Try to get a family member to accompany you to your exam. It can be helpful to have a calm and supportive person with you.
Your hearing test will not only help to confirm your hearing loss but it will also gauge the extent of it. Depending on the results of your exam, we will be able to specify your best plan going forward. In most instances, that will involve getting hearing aids. You’ll definitely be able to get a set of hearing aids that will best fit your lifestyle since there are so many styles and options to choose from.
How to select quality hearing aids
Everybody’s hearing loss is unique and we will help you discover what treatment will be best for yours. Take some to time choose the correct brand and model for your needs, this might require testing a few styles and models. Hearing aids don’t just amplify sound these days. They can block out background sounds, link to smartphones and computers, and even determine the direction that sound is coming from. Different brands and kinds of hearing aids have different features, so do some research to find out what features you need to improve your life.
Think about the style you want for your hearing aids, as well. Some models have no color and are almost invisible and other models come in dazzling colors.
Schedule a hearing assessment with our qualified hearing specialists today if you believe 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/