You know you’re feeling moody these days but you’re not really certainly why. Well, you did feel left out earlier this morning when no one bothered to pull you into the meeting discussion at the office and that was aggravating. The other night your daughter seemed annoyed 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?
Did you ever stop to think that maybe you could be suffering from hearing loss?
As you age 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 might have a treatable medical condition causing your hearing loss but you think it’s merely an indication of aging. Maybe, your co-workers didn’t exclude you from the conversation after all, maybe you missed critical conversational queues because you couldn’t hear them. The fact is, if you can’t hear properly during your everyday life, it can become extremely frustrating.
Get the facts about hearing loss
Finding out a little more about what you’re dealing with is a practical place to begin. For many individuals, hearing loss is a normal side effect of growing older. But for other people, it might be due to years of noise overexposure. 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 cleaning up leaves with that noisy leaf blower could contribute to a loss of hearing. The fragile mechanisms in your ear can be harmed by lots of sounds in the world.
Another possible cause of hearing loss is chronic disease that becomes more common 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 generally don’t recognize when their hearing starts to go because hearing is often taken for granted:
- You regularly feel like you are being left out of the discussions
- You regularly say “what” and often need people to repeat what they said
- Finding it difficult to comprehend words when there’s background noise like a fan or the AC
If you detect any of these hearing loss symptoms, it’s no wonder you’re cranky! Depression and social solitude can be the outcome of feeling separated from your world.
Develop a plan to manage hearing loss
Begin by asking a family member or a loved one if they have noticed you struggling to hear conversations or if you say “What?” a little too frequently. It might seem like a challenging discussion but it’s a really worthwhile one. If if they answer ‘yes’ then scheduling a hearing test should be your next move 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. If hearing loss is established, we will recommend the next strategy for you depending on the results of the exam. 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 get hearing aids that are perfect for your lifestyle!
How to pick quality hearing aids
We’ll have suggestions that will be best suited for your unique type of hearing loss. You will most likely need to test a few brands and models before you determine the best fit for your specific taste and hearing requirements. Today’s hearing aids do lots more than just amplify sound. They can pinpoint the direction that sound is originating from, block out background noise, and even link to smartphones and computers. Do some research to find out which brands and models provide 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 virtually invisible and other models come in vibrant colors.
Schedule a hearing test with our qualified hearing specialists today if you suspect you could be suffering with hearing loss. 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/
