You know you’re feeling cranky these days but you’re not quite certainly why. Well, you did feel left out earlier today when no one took the time to pull you into the meeting discussion at the office and that was aggravating. Your daughter got up and abruptly 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 issue is hearing loss!
As you age hearing loss can sneak up on you and over 40 million people in the US suffer with it. And, the issue doesn’t end at your ears, either. Even minor hearing loss puts you at risk of depression, memory problems, and even cognitive decline, according to some research. What you might think is merely a sign of age, could actually be a treatable medical problem. Maybe, you missed significant conversational cues and your coworkers didn’t actually leave you out of the meeting after all. 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 more about what you’re dealing with is a useful place to start. For many individuals, hearing loss is a natural side effect of getting older. But years of exposure to overly loud noise 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 cleaning up leaves with that noisy leaf blower could contribute to a loss of hearing. 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 conditions 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
- When there is background sound, like an AC or fan running, you struggle to hear words
- When people are having discussions, you continually feel left out
Naturally, you’d be grumpy if you’ve been dealing with any of these symptoms! Depression and social solitude can be the result of feeling detached from your world.
Develop a plan to treat hearing loss
Start by asking a family member or a loved one if they have noticed you working hard to keep up with conversations or if you say “What?” a little too often. It’s a crucial discussion even if it’s a challenging one. A hearing test should be the next thing that you do, particularly if people have noticed you having a tough time hearing. Ask your loved one to go along with you to your appointment. It can be helpful to have a calm and supportive presence 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 based on the results of the test. 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 fit your lifestyle!
Picking out 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 could require testing several styles and models. Today’s hearing aids do a lot more than simply amplify sound. They can identify the direction that sound is originating from, block out background sound, and even connect to smartphones and computers. Different brands and kinds of hearing aids come with different features, so research them to find out what features you require to better your life.
Think about the style you want for your hearing aids, also. 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 may be experiencing hearing loss. Don’t you think it’s time to take action and end your grumpy state of mind?
Call Today to Set Up an Appointment
References
https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/hearing-loss-america/