You’re not really certain why, but you’ve been feeling cranky lately. Well, it was irritating earlier today when you felt left out of the meeting at the office. Your daughter got up and suddenly left the house after becoming annoyed when you kept asking her to turn the volume on the TV up. Why would she do that?
Maybe the real problem is hearing loss!
As you get older hearing loss can sneak up on you and over 40 million individuals in the US suffer with it. And, the issue doesn’t end at your ears, either. Even mild hearing loss puts you at risk of depression, memory loss, and even cognitive decline, according to some research. What you might think is simply a sign of age, could actually be a treatable medical problem. Maybe, your co-workers didn’t exclude you from the conversation after all, perhaps you missed critical conversational queues because you couldn’t hear them. Honestly, it can be extremely aggravating when you can’t hear during your daily life.
Discover more about hearing loss
A good place to start is finding out more about what you’re dealing with. For many individuals, hearing loss is a natural side effect of getting older. But for others, it may be caused by 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 hearing loss. The delicate mechanisms in your ear can be harmed by lots of sounds in the world.
Another possible source of hearing loss is chronic disease that becomes more prevalent as we grow older. When you have disorders that cause problems with your blood pressure, your inner ear can become damaged.
Recognize the signs
People normally take their hearing for granted, so when it begins to fail they don’t notice the signs:
- When people are having discussions, you always feel left out
- Struggling to comprehend words when there’s background noise like a fan or the AC
- You regularly say “what” and often need people to repeat what they said
If you notice any of these hearing loss indicators, it’s no wonder you’re cranky! Feeling separated from your world can result in depression and even social solitude.
Managing hearing loss
Start by asking a family member or a loved one if they have seen you struggling to keep up with conversations or if you say “What?” a little too frequently. It’s an important conversation even if it’s a difficult one. If the answer is ‘yes’ then scheduling a hearing test should be your next step and will clarify things for you. Try to get a family member to accompany you to your exam. It can be helpful to have a calm and supportive friend 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 plan going forward. In the majority of instances, that will involve getting hearing aids. You’ll definitely be able to get a set of hearing aids that will best fit your lifestyle since there are so many styles and options to pick from.
How to choose quality hearing aids
We’ll have suggestions that will be best suited for your individual type of hearing loss. Take some to time choose the correct brand and model for your needs, this might require testing a few styles and models. Hearing aids don’t just amplify sound nowadays. They can pinpoint the direction that sound is originating from, block out background sound, and even link to smartphones and computers. Different brands and types of hearing aids have different features, so do some research to find out what features you require to better your life.
Think about the style you want for your hearing aids, as well. Some models have no color and are virtually invisible and other models come in dazzling colors.
If you think you’re suffering from hearing loss, schedule an appointment with our qualified hearing specialists today. It’s time to get out of that cranky mindset and we can help!
References
https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/hearing-loss-america/
