You know you’re feeling moody these days but you’re not quite certainly why. Well, it was aggravating earlier this morning when you felt left out of the meeting at the office. Your daughter got up and suddenly left the house after becoming frustrated when you kept asking her to turn the volume on the TV up. Why would she do that?
Perhaps the real issue 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 minor 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 simply an indication of aging. Maybe, your co-workers didn’t exclude you from the conversation after all, maybe you missed crucial conversational queues because you couldn’t hear them. The fact is, if you can’t hear properly during your everyday life, it can become incredibly frustrating.
Learn more about hearing loss
Finding out a little bit more about what you’re coping with is a practical place to begin. For many people, hearing loss is a natural side effect of growing 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 cleaning up leaves with that loud leaf blower could contribute to a loss of hearing. The world is full of potentially ear-damaging noise that can deteriorate the delicate mechanisms that help you hear.
Long-term diseases that become more common as we age are a potential factor as well. High blood pressure, for instance, or diabetes can both interfere with blood flow, which causes damage to the inner ear.
Recognize the signs
People usually take their hearing for granted, so when it starts to fail they don’t detect the signs:
- You always feel like you are being left out of the conversations
- You regularly say “what” and often need people to repeat themselves
- When there’s background sound, like an AC or fan running, you struggle to hear words
Obviously, you’d be grumpy if you’ve been coping with any of these symptoms! Feeling detached from your world can result in depression and even social solitude.
Treating hearing loss
One of the first things you can do is ask friends and family members if they have seen you having a difficult time hearing. It may seem like a challenging conversation but it’s a really worthwhile one. If if they answer ‘yes’ then scheduling a hearing examination should be your next move and will clarify things for you. Try to get a loved one to accompany you to your exam. A supportive, calming presence can be most helpful.
Your hearing test will both gauge whether you’re experiencing hearing loss and how extensive it has become. If hearing loss is identified, we will recommend the next strategy for you depending on the results of the exam. Usually, hearing aids will be a principal part of the treatment plan. Don’t worry, there are so many choices and features that you’re certain to find hearing aids that fit your lifestyle!
How to select quality hearing aids
Everybody’s hearing loss is different and we will help you figure out what treatment will be best for yours. Take some to time determine the right brand and model for your needs, this may require testing a few styles and models. Today’s hearing aids do a lot more than just amplify sound. They can block out background noises, link to smartphones and computers, and even determine the direction that sound is coming from. Do some research to determine which brands and models come with 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 dazzling colors.
Schedule a hearing test with our qualified hearing specialists right away if you suspect you could be suffering with hearing loss. Don’t you think it’s time to find out 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/
