You aren’t quite certain why, but you’ve been feeling moody lately. Well, it was irritating earlier today when you felt left out of the meeting at work. 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 abruptly leaving the house. Why would she do that?
Did you ever stop to think that perhaps you could be suffering from hearing loss?
As you get older hearing loss can take you by surprise and over 40 million people in the US suffer with it. And the issue goes beyond just your ears. Even slight hearing loss puts you at risk of depression, memory problems, and even cognitive decline, according to some research. You could have a treatable medical condition causing your hearing loss but you think it’s simply an indication of aging. Maybe, your co-workers didn’t leave you out of the conversation after all, perhaps you missed critical conversational queues because you didn’t hear them. The fact is, if you can’t hear very well during your everyday life, it can become incredibly frustrating.
Get the facts about hearing loss
Learning a little bit more about what you’re coping with is a practical place to begin. Hearing loss does happen to many people due to the aging process. But years of exposure to overly loud sound can also be the cause for others. Everything from the music you listened to when you were a teenager, to driving with the window down in heavy traffic, to mowing lawns and picking up leaves with that noisy leaf blower could contribute to hearing loss. The fragile mechanisms in your ear can be damaged by lots of sounds in the world.
Long-term diseases that become more prevalent as we age are a potential factor as well. When you have disorders that cause issues with your blood pressure, your inner ear can become damaged.
Recognize the signs
People usually take their hearing for granted, so when it begins to fail they don’t recognize the signs:
- You’re always asking people to repeat what they said or even worse, saying ‘what’ all of the time
- Finding it difficult to understand words when there’s background noise like a fan or the AC
- When individuals are having discussions, you always feel left out
If you recognize any of these hearing loss indicators, it’s no wonder you’re grumpy! Depression and social solitude can be the consequence of feeling separated from your world.
Develop a plan to treat hearing loss
One of the first things you can do is ask family and friends if they have observed you having a hard time hearing. It may seem like a challenging discussion but it’s a really worthwhile one. If if they answer ‘yes’ then scheduling a hearing examination should be your next step and will clarify things for you. Ask your loved one to accompany you to your appointment. It can be helpful to have a calm and supportive presence with you.
Your hearing exam will both gauge whether you’re experiencing hearing loss and how extensive it has become. Depending on the results of your test, we will be able to decide on your best plan going forward. Normally, hearing aids will be a principal part of the treatment plan. Don’t worry, there are so many choices and features that you’re sure to find hearing aids that fit your lifestyle!
Deciding on quality hearing aids
Everybody’s hearing loss is different and we will help you determine what treatment will be best for yours. Take some to time determine the right brand and model for your needs, this may require testing a few styles and models. Hearing aids don’t simply amplify sound nowadays. They can identify the direction that sound is coming from, block out background sound, and even connect to smartphones and computers. Different brands and types of hearing aids include different features, so do some research to determine what features you require to improve your life.
Consider the style you want for your hearing aids, as well. They come in lots of fashionable colors or with no color at all, so they are virtually invisible.
If you think you’re experiencing hearing loss, make an appointment with our qualified hearing specialists right away. Don’t you think it’s time to take action and end your grumpy state of mind?
References
https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/hearing-loss-america/
