You know what it’s like to attempt to disregard a toothache? It can be pretty difficult. Eventually, you’re unquestionably pleading to go to the dentist. And when your eyesight begins to lose focus it’s the same. You’ll probably contact an ophthalmologist when you start to have difficulty reading street signs. But the concern is, when your hearing starts to go you might not show as much urgency.
And that may be an error in judgment. Neglected hearing loss can be the reason for significant health problems (especially mental problems). Regrettably, it’s pretty hard to address your diminishing hearing if you aren’t aware of it. And there you have the second problem.
You Might Have Hearing Loss if You Detect These Symptoms
We typically don’t appreciate our hearing. A high volume music event? No worry. Blaring ear pods? That’s just how you like your podcasts. But your overall hearing will be significantly affected by all of these decisions, particularly over time.
Regrettably, those impacts might be hard to notice. The signs of hearing loss can be virtually invisible because they sneak up so slowly over time. So you should take some time to educate yourself on some basic red flags (and to take care of them sooner than later):
- You have a particularly difficult time making out consonants when listening to casual speech
- You consistently blow the speakers in your earpods because you need the volume up too high
- You encounter sudden problems with short term memory
- When you’re in a crowded noisy environment you have a hard time keeping up with conversations
- You have a hard time falling asleep at night and feel fatigued for no apparent reason
- You usually have to turn up the volume on your devices
- Distorted or dull sounding voices from individuals near you (family, co-workers, friends)
- You regularly have to ask people to repeat what they said
It’s pretty well known what these red flags and symptoms indicate. If your hearing loss comes on especially gradually, your brain will instantly begin to compensate for any hearing loss that occurs, making you somewhat unaware, at first, to your symptoms. That’s why you should make an appointment with your hearing care specialist because these warning symptoms should be taken seriously.
What Happens if You Neglect Your Hearing Loss?
Indeed, some people are quite stubborn. Or the idea of wearing hearing aids is just too unwelcome. They have this fear that wearing a hearing aid is some kind of direct sign for old age (as though constantly asking someone to speak up is a sign of never ending youth). But in actuality, most modern hearing aids are practically invisible (and it’s helpful when you can hear and engage in conversations).
Still, if you neglect hearing loss it could lead to several issues:
- You may have tense relationships: When you have a tough time comprehending what your friends and family are saying, something can change in the relationship: you give up speaking with them. You stop saying hi, you quit checking in, you pull away. And that can hurt some of those relationships, especially if the problem is hearing loss that you have kept secret (and not some unspoken animosity).
- Your hearing might get worse: If you don’t utilize hearing aids or increased hearing protection, You’ll continue to turn up your devices. Or you’ll keep intending to rock concerts without any earplugs. Which means you’ll keep doing damage to your ears and your hearing will almost certainly keep declining because of it.
- Cognitive decline and depression could result: As your relationships falter and going out becomes more challenging, you may begin to experience signs of depression. You might also start to go through some cognitive decline without the auditory activation your brain is used to, your neural physiology starts to experience certain changes. If your hearing loss isn’t dealt with, it can lead to longterm cognitive concerns.
Hearing Loss Shouldn’t be Neglected
Down the road, clearly, bigger and more substantial issues can be brought about by hearing loss. On the other hand, your quality of life can be considerably improved by recognizing and treating your hearing loss. When you can hear, your relationships get better and your daily life seems more full. And improving your awareness, either by seeing a hearing specialist or downloading a noise-monitoring app, can enhance your complete hearing health.
Hearing loss is definitely a health condition you shouldn’t ignore. A happier life starts when you find the right treatment. Don’t wait until the proverbial toothache gets too painful to ignore.