Have you ever tried to ignore a toothache? They can be pretty tough. Eventually, you’re absolutely pleading to go see a dentist. The same thing occurs when your eyesight starts to lose focus. You’ll most likely call an ophthalmologist when you begin to have problems reading street signs. But the problem is, when your hearing begins to go you might not have such urgency.
This would more than likely be an oversight. There are appreciable health issues (especially mental health problems) that can develop as a consequence of untreated hearing loss. Obviously, you can only ignore your diminishing hearing if you’re actually aware of it. And that’s problem number two.
Signs You May Have Hearing Loss
We normally take our hearing for granted. A loud performance? No big deal.. Blasting ear pods? That’s just how you prefer your podcasts. But each of those decisions, particularly in the long run, is going to have a substantial affect on your general hearing.
It can, unfortunately, be difficult to notice these impacts. Hearing loss can sneak up on you gradually, with symptoms that advance so slowly as to be effectively invisible. That’s why it’s a good idea to be familiar with some primary red flags (and to take care of them sooner than later):
- You feel an unexplained sense of fatigue or have excessive difficulty falling asleep at night
- You always need to crank up the volume on your devices
- You continually blow the speakers in your earpods because you need the volume up too loud
- Distorted or dull sounding speech from individuals around you (family, co-workers, friends)
- You encounter sudden issues with short term memory
- When you’re in a crowded noisy situation you have a tough time keeping up with conversations
- You frequently need to ask individuals to repeat what they said
- You have an especially difficult time hearing consonants when listening to everyday speech
It’s fairly well recognized what these red flags and symptoms indicate. At first, you will be somewhat oblivious to your symptoms, especially if they come on slowly, because your brain will immediately start to compensate. That’s why you should schedule an appointment with your hearing care specialist because these warning symptoms should be taken seriously.
What Going to Happen if You Neglect Your Hearing Loss?
Indeed, some individuals are quite obstinate. Or the idea of wearing hearing aids is simply too undesirable. They maintain this fear that wearing a hearing aid is some kind of direct sign for old age (as if constantly asking people to speak louder is a sign of unending youth). But in actuality, most contemporary hearing aids are practically unseen (and it’s helpful when you can understand and engage in conversations).
Still, it’s worth discussing what could happen if you neglect your hearing loss:
- Your hearing could get worse: Without a hearing aid or enhanced ear protection, you’ll keep turning the volume on your television higher. Or you won’t utilize earplugs when you go to rock concerts. And your hearing will continue declining as you continue doing harm to your ears.
- Your relationships could diminish: There’s something that takes place when you have a hard time understanding your family and friends: you start having fewer interactions with them. You quit saying hi, you quit checking in, you pull away. Some of those relationships will be ruined, particularly if no one has any idea that the underlying cause is hearing loss (and not some unspoken bitterness).
- Depression and cognitive decline could result: As your relationships falter and going out becomes more challenging, you may start to experience signs of depression. You may also begin to go through some mental decline without the auditory activation your brain is used to, certain changes begin to take place within your neural physiology. This can lead to long term cognitive difficulties if your hearing loss isn’t managed.
Hearing Loss Shouldn’t be Neglected
Surely, ignoring your hearing loss can cause bigger and more substantial problems later on. On the other hand, your quality of life can be considerably improved by recognizing and managing your hearing loss. Your daily life is more full and your relationships improve when you begin to hear better. And your general health will be improved by consulting a hearing specialist or at least downloading a noise monitoring app.
You definitely shouldn’t neglect the health problem of hearing loss. The sooner you find the proper treatment, the happier you’ll be. Don’t wait until the proverbial toothache becomes too painful to ignore.
