You aren’t quite sure why, but you’ve been feeling moody lately. Well, you did feel excluded earlier this morning when no one took the time to bring 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 abruptly leaving the house. Why would she do that?
Did you ever stop to think that maybe you could be battling with 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 doesn’t end at your ears, either. Research reveals that even mild hearing loss puts you at risk for memory issues, dementia, and even depression. You might have a treatable medical condition causing your hearing loss but you think it’s just an indication of aging. Perhaps, your co-workers didn’t leave you out of the conversation after all, perhaps you missed critical conversational queues because you couldn’t hear them. The fact is, if you can’t hear properly during your day-to-day life, it can become incredibly frustrating.
Get the facts about hearing loss
Learning a little bit more about what you’re dealing with is a useful place to begin. For many individuals, hearing loss is a normal side effect of getting older. But for other people, it might be due to years of noise overexposure. Noise-induced hearing loss can be a result of lots of noise sources, like mowing the lawn and leaf blowing, listening to loud music, and driving in loud traffic with the window down. The world is full of potentially ear-damaging noise that can deteriorate the fragile mechanisms that help you hear.
Long-term diseases that become more prevalent with age are a possible factor as well. High blood pressure, for example, or diabetes can both affect blood flow, which can cause harm to the inner ear.
Recognize the signs
People usually take their hearing for granted, so when it begins to fail they don’t detect the signs:
- Finding it difficult to hear words when there’s background noise like a fan or the AC
- You’re always asking people to repeat themselves or even worse, saying ‘what’ a lot
- You always feel like you are being excluded from the discussions
If you notice any of these hearing loss symptoms, it’s no wonder you’re cranky! Depression and social solitude can be the outcome of feeling detached from your world.
Treating 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 a crucial conversation even if it’s a challenging one. If the answer is ‘yes’ then scheduling a hearing examination should be your next move and will simplify things for you. Try to get a family member to accompany you to your exam. A supportive, calming friend can be really helpful.
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. In most instances, that will entail 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 choose from.
How to pick quality hearing aids
Everyone’s hearing loss is unique and we will help you determine what treatment will be best for yours. Take some to time find the right brand and model for your needs, this might 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 coming from, block out background sound, and even link to smartphones and computers. Do some research to find out which brands and models come with the features that will best fit your lifestyle and requirements.
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 dazzling colors.
Schedule a hearing exam with our qualified hearing specialists today if you suspect you may be experiencing hearing loss. Don’t you think it’s time to take action and end your cranky state of mind?
Call Today to Set Up an Appointment
References
https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/hearing-loss-america/