You’re not quite sure why, but you’ve been feeling cranky lately. Well, it was aggravating earlier today when you felt left out of the meeting at work. Your daughter got up and abruptly left the house after becoming irritated when you kept asking her to turn the volume on the TV up. What’s the deal with that?
Perhaps the real issue 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 goes beyond just your ears. Research shows that even mild hearing loss puts you at risk for memory problems, dementia, and even depression. What you might think is just a sign of age, may actually be a treatable medical problem. Perhaps, you missed essential conversational cues and your coworkers didn’t actually leave you out of the meeting after all. The fact is, if you can’t hear properly during your day-to-day life, it can become incredibly frustrating.
Learn more about hearing loss
Learning a little bit more about what you’re struggling with is a useful place to begin. Hearing loss does happen to many individuals due to the aging process. But for other people, it may be caused by years of noise overexposure. Everything from the music you listened to when you were a teenager, to driving with the window down in traffic, to mowing lawns and picking up leaves with that noisy leaf blower could contribute to a loss of hearing. The delicate mechanisms in your ear can be damaged by lots of noises in the world.
Another possible cause of hearing loss is chronic disease that becomes more common with age. 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 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’ all of the time
- When people are having discussions, you always feel excluded
Obviously, you’d be cranky if you’ve been struggling with any of these symptoms! Depression and social isolation can be the consequence of feeling separated from your world.
Create a plan to manage hearing loss
Begin by asking a family member or a loved one if they have seen you struggling to hear conversations or if you say “What?” a little too often. It might seem like a challenging conversation but it’s a really worthwhile one. If the answer is ‘yes’ then scheduling a hearing exam should be your next step and will simplify things for you. Ask your loved one to go along with you to your appointment. A supportive, calming friend can be really helpful.
Your hearing exam will both gauge whether you’re experiencing hearing loss and how extensive it has become. If hearing loss is identified, we will advise the next course of action for you depending on the results of the test. In most cases, that will entail getting hearing aids. Don’t stress, there are so many choices and features that you’re sure to find hearing aids that are perfect for your lifestyle!
How to select quality hearing aids
We’ll have recommendations that will be best suited for your distinct type of hearing loss. Take some to time determine the correct brand and model for your needs, this could require testing a few styles and models. Today’s hearing aids do a lot more than simply amplify sound. They can block out background sounds, connect to smartphones and computers, and even determine the direction that sound is coming from. Do some research to find out which brands and models come with the features that will best fit your lifestyle and needs.
Consider the style you want for your hearing aids, as well. Some models have no color and are nearly invisible and other models come in vibrant colors.
Schedule a hearing test with our qualified hearing specialists today if you think you could be suffering with hearing loss. Don’t you think it’s time to find out and end your cranky state of mind?
References
https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/hearing-loss-america/
