You’re not quite certain why, but you’ve been feeling cranky lately. Well, you did feel left out earlier today when no one bothered to pull you into the meeting discussion at the office and that was aggravating. The other night your daughter seemed frustrated with you when you asked her to turn the tv volume up over and over again resulting in her abruptly leaving the house. Why would she do that?
Maybe the real problem is hearing loss!
Hearing loss is an issue for roughly 40 million people in the US and can sneak up on you with age. And, the problem doesn’t end at your ears, either. Even slight hearing loss puts you at risk of depression, memory loss, and even cognitive decline, according to some research. What you may presume is just an indication of age, could actually be a treatable medical condition. Maybe, your co-workers didn’t exclude you from the conversation after all, maybe you missed crucial 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.
Discover more about hearing loss
A good place to begin is discovering more about what you’re dealing with. For many individuals, hearing loss is a normal side effect of growing older. But for other people, it may 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 picking up leaves with that loud leaf blower could contribute to a loss of hearing. The world is full of potentially ear-damaging noise that can deteriorate the delicate mechanisms that help you hear.
Long-term diseases that become more prevalent as we age are a potential factor as well. High blood pressure, for instance, or diabetes can both affect blood flow, which can cause damage to the inner ear.
Recognize the signs
People usually take their hearing for granted, so when it begins to fail they don’t recognize the signs:
- You frequently say “what” and often need people to repeat what they said
- When there’s background noise, like an AC or fan running, you struggle to hear words
- You always feel like you are being excluded from the discussions
Naturally, you’d be cranky if you’ve been struggling with any of these signs! Feeling detached from your world can trigger depression and even social isolation.
Managing hearing loss
Begin by asking a family member or a loved one if they have noticed you working hard to keep up with conversations or if you say “What?” a little too frequently. It’s an important discussion even if it’s a challenging one. A hearing examination should be the next thing that you do, especially if people have noticed you having a tough time hearing. Try to get a family member to accompany you to your exam. A supportive, calming presence can be really helpful.
Your hearing examination will not only help to establish your hearing loss but it will also gauge the degree of it. Depending on the results of your test, we will be able to figure out your best course of action going forward. In the majority of instances, that will entail getting hearing aids. You’ll definitely be able to get a pair of hearing aids that will best fit your lifestyle since there are so many styles and options to pick from.
Deciding on quality hearing aids
We’ll have recommendations that will be best suited for your distinct type of hearing loss. Take some to time choose the correct brand and model for your needs, this could require testing a few styles and models. Hearing aids don’t simply amplify sound these days. They can determine the direction that sound is originating from, block out background noise, and even connect to smartphones and computers. Different brands and kinds of hearing aids include different features, so research them to find out what features you need to better your life.
And, remember to think about styles. They come in lots of snazzy colors or with no color at all, so they are virtually invisible.
If you think you’re suffering from hearing loss, make an appointment with our qualified hearing specialists today. Don’t you think it’s time to find out and end your grumpy state of mind?
References
https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/hearing-loss-america/
