You aren’t quite certain why, but you’ve been feeling cranky lately. Well, you did feel excluded earlier today when no one bothered to bring you into the meeting discussion at the office and that was annoying. Last night your daughter seemed irritated with you when you asked her to turn the tv volume up over and over again leading to her suddenly leaving the house. What’s the story with that?
Maybe the real issue 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 problem goes beyond only your ears. Research shows that even slight hearing loss puts you at risk for memory issues, dementia, and even depression. You could have a treatable medical condition causing your hearing loss but you think it’s merely a sign of aging. 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. Honestly, it can be exceedingly frustrating when you can’t hear during your day-to-day life.
Learn more about hearing loss
Finding out a little more about what you’re dealing with is a practical place to begin. Hearing loss does happen to lots of individuals due to the aging process. But for other people, it might be due to years of noise overexposure. Noise-related hearing loss can be a result of lots of noise sources, including mowing the lawn and leaf blowing, listening to loud music, and driving in heavy traffic with the window down. The fragile mechanisms in your ear can be damaged by lots of noises in the world.
Another potential cause of hearing loss is chronic disease that becomes more common as we grow older. High blood pressure, for example, or diabetes can both affect blood flow, which causes harm to the inner ear.
Recognize the signs
People normally take their hearing for granted, so when it begins to go they don’t notice the signs:
- Finding it difficult to understand words when there is background noise like a fan or the AC
- You’re always asking people to repeat themselves or even worse, saying ‘what’ a lot
- When individuals are conversing, you always feel left out
Naturally, you’d be cranky if you’ve been struggling with any of these signs! Feeling isolated from your world can result in depression and even social isolation.
Make a plan to manage hearing loss
One of the very first things you can do is ask family and friends if they have seen you having a hard time hearing. It’s a crucial conversation even if it’s a challenging one. A hearing exam should be next on your list, particularly if people have observed you having a tough time hearing. Ask your loved one to accompany you to your appointment. A supportive, calming friend can be extremely helpful.
Your hearing test will not only help to establish your hearing loss but it will also gauge the extent of it. If hearing loss is identified, we will advise the next course of action for you depending on the results of the test. In the majority of cases, that will involve getting hearing aids. Don’t worry, there are so many choices and features that you’re sure to find hearing aids that fit your lifestyle!
Picking out quality hearing aids
Everyone’s hearing loss is unique and we will help you decide what treatment will be best for yours. You will most likely need to test a few brands and models before you find the best fit for your particular taste and hearing needs. Today’s hearing aids do lots more than simply amplify sound. They can pinpoint the direction that sound is coming from, block out background sound, and even link to smartphones and computers. Different brands and types of hearing aids offer different features, so do some research to determine what features you need to better your life.
Think about the style you want for your hearing aids, as well. They come in lots of snazzy colors or with no color at all, so they are nearly invisible.
If you think you’re suffering from hearing loss, schedule 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?
Call Today to Set Up an Appointment
References
https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/hearing-loss-america/
