You know you’re feeling moody these days but you’re not really sure why. 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. Your daughter got up and abruptly left the house after becoming annoyed when you kept asking her to turn the TV volume up. 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 about 40 million people in the US and can sneak up on you with age. And the issue goes beyond just your ears. Even slight hearing loss puts you at risk of depression, memory loss, and even dementia, according to some research. What you might believe is simply a sign of age, may 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 properly during your everyday life, it can become extremely frustrating.

Discover more about hearing loss

A good place to begin is discovering more about what you’re dealing with. For many individuals, hearing loss is a normal side effect of getting older. But for other people, it may be due to years of noise overexposure. Everything from the music you listened to when you were a teenager, to driving with the window down in traffic, to mowing lawns and cleaning up leaves with that loud leaf blower could contribute to hearing loss. The fragile mechanisms in your ear can be damaged by lots of sounds in the world.

Chronic diseases that become more common as one grows older are a possible factor as well. When you have disorders 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 starts to go they don’t recognize the signs:

• Struggling to hear words when there is background noise like a fan or the AC
• You’re always asking people to repeat themselves or even worse, saying ‘what’ a lot
• You regularly feel like you are being left out of the discussions

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

Make 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 frequently. It’s a crucial conversation even if it’s a difficult one. A hearing examination should be the next thing that you do, particularly if people have noticed you having a tough time hearing. Try to get a loved one to go along with you to your appointment. A supportive, calming presence can be most helpful.

Your hearing examination will not only help to confirm your hearing loss but it will also gauge the degree of it. Depending on the results of your exam, we will be able to specify your best course of action moving forward. In the majority of instances, that will involve getting hearing aids. You’ll definitely be able to get a pair of hearing aids that will best fit your situation since there are so many styles and options to choose from.

How to select quality hearing aids

We’ll have suggestions 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 discover the best fit for your specific taste and hearing needs. Today’s hearing aids do so much more than simply amplify sound. They can block out background noises, connect to smartphones and computers, and even pinpoint the direction of a sound. Different brands and kinds of hearing aids offer different features, so do some research to find out what features you require to improve your life.

And, remember to consider styles. They come in various fashionable colors or with no color at all, so they are nearly invisible.

If you think you’re dealing with hearing loss, make an appointment with our qualified hearing specialists today. It’s time to get out of that cranky mindset and we can help!

Call Today to Set Up an Appointment

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