You know you’re feeling cranky these days but you’re not quite sure why. Well, it was aggravating earlier this morning when you felt left out of the meeting at work. Your daughter got up and suddenly left the house after becoming frustrated when you kept asking her to turn the TV volume up. What’s the story with that?
Perhaps the real problem is hearing loss!
As you age hearing loss can sneak up on you and over 40 million individuals in the US suffer with it. And, the problem doesn’t end at your ears, either. Research reveals 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 just a sign of aging. Perhaps, you missed significant conversational cues and your coworkers didn’t actually leave you out of the meeting after all. Honestly, it can be exceedingly frustrating when you can’t hear during your daily life.
Get the facts about hearing loss
A good place to start is discovering more about what you’re dealing with. For many individuals, hearing loss is a natural side effect of growing older. But for other people, it may be due to years of noise overexposure. Noise-related hearing loss can be caused by many noise sources, including mowing the lawn and leaf blowing, listening to loud music, and driving in loud traffic with the window down. The fragile 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 prevalent as we age. When you have disorders that cause problems with your blood pressure, your inner ear can become damaged.
Recognize the signs
People often take their hearing for granted, so when it begins to go they don’t notice the signs:
- You frequently say “what” and often need people to repeat themselves
- You always feel like you are being left out of the discussions
- Struggling to hear words when there’s background noise like a fan or the AC
If you detect any of these hearing loss signs, it’s no wonder you’re cranky! Depression and social solitude can be the result of feeling separated from your world.
Create a plan to manage hearing loss
One of the first things you can do is ask family and friends if they have observed you having a difficult time hearing. It’s a crucial discussion even if it’s a difficult one. If if they answer ‘yes’ then scheduling a hearing test should be your next step and will simplify things for you. Try to get a loved one to go along with you to your appointment. It can be helpful to have a calm and supportive person with you.
Your hearing test will both gauge whether you’re experiencing hearing loss and how significant it has become. Depending on the results of your test, we will be able to determine your best course of action moving forward. Normally, hearing aids will be a principal part of the treatment plan. Don’t stress, there are so many choices and features that you’re certain to get hearing aids that fit your lifestyle!
How to pick quality hearing aids
Everybody’s hearing loss is different and we will help you determine what treatment will be best for yours. You will most likely need to evaluate a number of brands and models before you determine the best fit for your particular taste and hearing requirements. 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 link to smartphones and computers. Different brands and kinds of hearing aids have different features, so research them to determine what features you need to improve your life.
And, don’t forget to think about styles. Some models have no color and are nearly invisible and other models come in dazzling colors.
Schedule a hearing assessment with our qualified hearing specialists today if you think you might be experiencing 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/
