You know you’re feeling cranky these days but you’re not really sure why. Well, it was irritating earlier this morning when you felt left out of the meeting at the office. The other night your daughter seemed annoyed with you when you asked her to turn the tv volume up over and over again leading to her abruptly leaving the house. Why would she do that?
Maybe the real issue is hearing loss!
Hearing loss is an issue for roughly 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 reveals that even slight hearing loss puts you at risk for memory issues, cognitive decline, and even depression. What you may think is just an indication of age, could actually be a treatable medical condition. Maybe, you missed significant conversational cues and your coworkers didn’t actually leave you out of the meeting after all. The truth is, if you can’t hear very well during your day-to-day 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 begin. For many people, hearing loss is a normal side effect of getting older. But for other people, it might 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 cleaning up leaves with that noisy leaf blower could contribute to a loss of hearing. The delicate mechanisms in your ear can be damaged by lots of sounds in the world.
Another potential source of hearing loss is chronic disease that becomes more prevalent as we age. High blood pressure, for instance, or diabetes can both hinder blood flow, which causes harm to the inner ear.
Recognize the signs
People usually take their hearing for granted, so when it begins to go they don’t notice the signs:
- When there’s background noise, like an AC or fan running, you have a hard time hearing words
- When individuals are conversing, you continually feel excluded
- You’re always asking people to repeat what they said or even worse, saying ‘what’ all of the time
Obviously, you’d be grumpy if you’ve been coping with any of these symptoms! Depression and social solitude can be the result of feeling separated from your world.
Make a plan to treat hearing loss
One of the initial things you can do is ask family and friends if they have seen you having a difficult time hearing. It’s a crucial discussion even if it’s a challenging one. If if they answer ‘yes’ then scheduling a hearing exam should be your next move and will clarify things for you. Try to get a family member to go along with you to your appointment. A supportive, calming presence can be most helpful.
Your hearing examination will not only help to establish your hearing loss but it will also gauge the degree of it. If hearing loss is identified, we will advise the next course of action for you based on the results of the exam. Normally, hearing aids will be a major part of the treatment plan. Don’t stress, there are so many options and features that you’re certain to get hearing aids that are perfect for your lifestyle!
Picking out quality hearing aids
Everybody’s hearing loss is different and we will help you determine what treatment will be best for yours. Take some to time determine the correct brand and model for your needs, this could require testing a few styles and models. 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 link to smartphones and computers. Do some research to determine which brands and models have the features that will best fit your lifestyle and needs.
Consider the style you want for your hearing aids, as well. They come in various snazzy colors or with no color at all, so they are virtually invisible.
If you think you’re dealing with hearing loss, make an appointment with our qualified hearing specialists today. Don’t you think it’s time to take action and end your grumpy state of mind?
References
https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/hearing-loss-america/