You aren’t quite sure why, but you’ve been feeling moody lately. Well, you did feel excluded earlier this morning when no one bothered to pull you into the meeting discussion at the office and that was annoying. Your daughter got up and abruptly left the house after becoming frustrated when you kept asking her to turn the TV volume up. What’s the deal with that?
Perhaps the real problem is hearing loss!
Hearing loss is a problem for around 40 million individuals in the US and can sneak up on you with age. And, the issue doesn’t end at your ears, either. Even mild hearing loss puts you at risk of depression, memory loss, and even cognitive decline, according to some research. You might have a treatable medical condition causing your hearing loss but you think it’s merely a sign of aging. 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. Honestly, it can be exceedingly frustrating when you can’t hear during your day-to-day life.
Learn more about hearing loss
A good place to start is discovering more about what you’re dealing with. Hearing loss does happen to many individuals as a result of the aging process. But years of exposure to overly loud noise can also be the cause for others. 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 world is full of potentially ear-damaging sound that can deteriorate the fragile mechanisms that help you hear.
Another possible source of hearing loss is chronic disease that becomes more prevalent as we age. High blood pressure, for example, or diabetes can both affect blood flow, which causes harm to the inner ear.
Recognize the signs
People typically don’t detect when their hearing begins to go because hearing is often taken for granted:
- When there is background sound, like an AC or fan running, you have a hard time hearing words
- You’re always asking people to repeat what they said or even worse, saying ‘what’ all of the time
- When individuals are having discussions, you always feel excluded
If you recognize any of these hearing loss signs, it’s no wonder you’re grumpy! Depression and social isolation can be the result of feeling detached from your world.
Treating hearing loss
Start by asking a family member or a loved one if they have noticed you struggling to keep up with conversations or if you say “What?” a little too often. It’s an important discussion even if it’s a challenging one. A hearing exam should be the next thing that you do, particularly if people have noticed you having a difficult time hearing. Ask your loved one to go along with you to your appointment. It can be helpful to have a calm and supportive person with you.
Your hearing test will not only help to establish your hearing loss but it will also gauge the extent of it. Depending on the results of your test, we will be able to decide on your best course of action moving forward. Usually, hearing aids will be a principal part of the treatment plan. Don’t worry, there are so many choices and features that you’re certain to find hearing aids that are perfect for your lifestyle!
Deciding on quality hearing aids
Everybody’s hearing loss is different and we will help you figure out what treatment will be best for yours. Take some to time choose the correct brand and model for your needs, this could require testing a few styles and models. Today’s hearing aids do lots more than simply amplify sound. They can block out background noises, connect to smartphones and computers, and even determine the direction of a sound. Do some research to find out which brands and models provide the features that will best fit your lifestyle and requirements.
Think about the style you want for your hearing aids, too. They come in many fashionable colors or with no color at all, so they’re practically invisible.
Schedule a hearing assessment with our qualified hearing specialists right away if you believe you might be suffering with hearing loss. It’s time to get out of that grumpy mindset and we can help!
Call Today to Set Up an Appointment
References
https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/hearing-loss-america/