You aren’t quite certain why, but you’ve been feeling cranky lately. Well, you did feel left out earlier this morning when no one took the time to pull you into the meeting discussion at the office and that was irritating. Your daughter got up and suddenly left the house after becoming annoyed when you kept asking her to turn the volume on the TV up. What’s the deal with that?

Did you ever stop to think that maybe you could be battling with hearing loss?

As you get older 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. Research indicates that even slight hearing loss puts you at risk for memory problems, cognitive decline, and even depression. What you might think is simply an indication of age, could actually be a treatable medical problem. Perhaps, your co-workers didn’t exclude you from the conversation after all, perhaps you missed crucial conversational queues because you didn’t hear them. Honestly, it can be very frustrating when you can’t hear during your daily life.

Discover more about hearing loss

Finding out a little more about what you’re struggling with is a practical place to start. For many people, hearing loss is a normal side effect of getting older. But for other people, it might be due to years of noise overexposure. Noise-related hearing loss can be a result of lots of noise sources, including mowing the lawn and leaf blowing, listening to loud music, and driving in loud traffic with the window down. The delicate mechanisms in your ear can be damaged by lots of noises in the world.

Long-term diseases that become more prevalent as one grows older are a potential factor as well. High blood pressure, for instance, or diabetes can both affect blood flow, which can cause damage to the inner ear.

Recognize the signs

People usually take their hearing for granted, so when it starts to fail they don’t recognize the signs:

• When people are having discussions, you always feel excluded
• You’re always asking people to repeat themselves or even worse, saying ‘what’ a lot
• Struggling to understand words when there’s background noise like a fan or the AC

If you detect any of these hearing loss signs, it’s no wonder you’re grumpy! Depression and social isolation can be the consequence of feeling separated from your world.

Create a plan to manage hearing loss

One of the very first things you can do is ask family and friends if they have noticed you having a difficult time hearing. It’s a crucial conversation even if it’s a challenging one. If if they answer ‘yes’ then scheduling a hearing assessment should be your next move and will simplify things for you. Try to get a loved one to accompany you to your exam. A supportive, calming presence can be really helpful.

Your hearing exam 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. You’ll certainly be able to get a pair of hearing aids that will best fit your lifestyle since there are so many styles and options to pick from.

Picking out quality hearing aids

We’ll have recommendations that will be best suited for your individual type of hearing loss. You will most likely need to evaluate a number of brands and models before you find the best fit for your specific taste and hearing requirements. Hearing aids don’t simply amplify sound nowadays. They can block out background noises, link to smartphones and computers, and even pinpoint the direction that sound is coming from. Different brands and types of hearing aids come with different features, so research them to find out what features you require to improve your life.

Consider the style you want for your hearing aids, as well. They come in lots of snazzy colors or with no color at all, so they’re practically invisible.

If you think you’re suffering from hearing loss, make an appointment with our qualified hearing specialists right away. It’s time to get out of that grumpy mindset and we can help!

Call Today to Set Up an Appointment

References
https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/hearing-loss-america/