You aren’t really certain why, but you’ve been feeling cranky lately. Well, it was irritating earlier this morning when you felt left out of the meeting at work. The other night your daughter seemed annoyed with you when you asked her to turn up the volume of the TV over and over again leading to her suddenly leaving the house. What’s the deal with that?
Maybe the real problem is hearing loss!
Hearing loss is a problem for roughly 40 million people in the US and can sneak up on you with age. And, the issue doesn’t end at your ears, either. Even minor hearing loss puts you at risk of depression, memory loss, and even dementia, according to some research. What you may think is just an indication of age, may actually be a treatable medical problem. Perhaps, your co-workers didn’t leave you out of the conversation after all, perhaps you missed critical conversational queues because you couldn’t hear them. The truth is, if you can’t hear very well during your everyday life, it can become extremely frustrating.
Get the facts about hearing loss
Finding out a little more about what you’re dealing with is a practical place to start. For many people, hearing loss is a normal side effect of getting older. But years of exposure to overly loud sound can also be the cause for others. Noise-related hearing loss can be a result of many noise sources, including 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 deteriorate the delicate mechanisms that help you hear.
Chronic diseases that become more prevalent as one grows older are a potential factor as well. When you have conditions that cause problems with your blood pressure, your inner ear can become damaged.
Recognize the signs
People usually don’t recognize when their hearing starts to go because hearing is frequently taken for granted:
- When people are having discussions, you always feel left out
- You frequently say “what” and often need people to repeat what they said
- Struggling to understand words when there is background noise like a fan or the AC
Naturally, you’d be cranky if you’ve been dealing with any of these symptoms! Depression and social isolation can be the consequence of feeling detached from your world.
Make a plan to manage hearing loss
One of the very first things you can do is ask family and friends if they have noticed you having a hard time hearing. It’s a crucial discussion even if it’s a challenging one. A hearing exam should be next on your list, especially if people have observed you having a difficult time hearing. Try to get a family member to go along with you to your exam. A supportive, calming friend can be most helpful.
Your hearing test will not only help to verify your hearing loss but it will also gauge the degree of it. Depending on the results of your test, we will be able to decide on your best course of action moving forward. In the majority of instances, that will entail getting hearing aids. Don’t worry, there are so many options and features that you’re certain to find hearing aids that fit your lifestyle!
How to pick 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 choose the right brand and model for your needs, this may require testing several styles and models. Today’s hearing aids do lots more than just amplify sound. They can block out background sounds, connect to smartphones and computers, and even pinpoint the direction that sound is coming from. Do some research to determine which brands and models provide the features that will best fit your lifestyle and needs.
And, don’t forget to consider styles. Some models have no color and are virtually invisible and other models come in vibrant colors.
Schedule a hearing test with our qualified hearing specialists right away if you think you may be experiencing hearing loss. It’s time to get out of that cranky mindset and we can help!
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References
https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/hearing-loss-america/