You’re not quite certain why, but you’ve been feeling cranky lately. Well, it was annoying earlier this morning when you felt left out of the meeting at work. Last night your daughter seemed frustrated with you when you asked her to turn up the volume of the TV over and over again leading to her abruptly leaving the house. What’s the story with that?
Maybe the real problem is hearing loss!
Hearing loss is an issue for around 40 million individuals in the US and can sneak up on you with age. And, the problem doesn’t end at your ears, either. Even slight hearing loss puts you at risk of depression, memory loss, and even dementia, according to some research. What you may presume is merely a sign of age, may actually be a treatable medical problem. Maybe, your co-workers didn’t exclude you from the conversation after all, perhaps you missed crucial 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 people, hearing loss is a normal side effect of getting older. But years of exposure to overly loud sound 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 loud leaf blower could contribute to a loss of hearing. The world is full of potentially ear-damaging sound that can erode the fragile mechanisms that help you hear.
Another potential source of hearing loss is chronic disease that becomes more prevalent as we age. High blood pressure, for instance, or diabetes can both affect blood flow, which causes harm to the inner ear.
Recognize the signs
People typically don’t recognize when their hearing starts to go because hearing is often taken for granted:
- When there’s background noise, like an AC or fan running, you struggle to hear words
- When individuals are conversing, you continually feel left out
- You frequently say “what” and often need people to repeat what they said
Obviously, you’d be cranky if you’ve been coping with any of these symptoms! Feeling separated from your world can cause depression and even social isolation.
Managing hearing loss
One of the first things you can do is ask friends and family members if they have observed you having a hard time hearing. It’s an important conversation even if it’s a difficult one. A hearing exam 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. A supportive, calming friend can be extremely helpful.
Your hearing exam will both gauge whether you’re experiencing hearing loss and how extensive 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 cases, 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.
Deciding on quality hearing aids
We’ll have recommendations that will be best suited for your individual type of hearing loss. You will probably need to evaluate several brands and models before you discover the best fit for your particular taste and hearing needs. Today’s hearing aids do so much more than just amplify sound. They can block out background noises, connect to smartphones and computers, and even determine the direction that sound is coming from. Do some research to find out which brands and models have the features that will best fit your lifestyle and needs.
Also, don’t forget to consider styles. Some models have no color and are nearly invisible and other models come in vibrant colors.
Schedule a hearing exam with our qualified hearing specialists today if you believe you might be suffering with hearing loss. It’s time to get out of that grumpy mindset and we can help!
References
https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/hearing-loss-america/