When is the right time to consider hearing aids? Ideally, we want you to start thinking about it when you first notice symptoms of hearing loss. Unfortunately, that is rarely the case: only one out of every five people with hearing loss seeks help for the condition, and some wait ten years or more to do so. If youāre hesitant to seek treatment, here are some guidelines that we hope will encourage you to take this step for your health.
When You First Notice Symptoms
Here are some common first symptoms that could indicate hearing loss:
- Asking people to repeat themselves often
- Frequently mishearing or misunderstanding words
- Missing high-pitched sounds, such as the phone ringing
- Not hearing background noise, such as the refrigerator humming
- Turning up the volume
- Getting startled more often because you didnāt hear someone or something
- Feeling overwhelmed, frustrated or fatigued after a group conversation or activity that required long periods of listening
All of these indicate that your ears are picking up fewer sounds than before, or that your brain is struggling to process the sound information itās receiving. This is how hearing loss occurs.
When Your Loved Ones Are Concerned
Our loved ones are usually the first to notice signs of hearing loss. Family and friends will notice if you seem less engaged in conversations or if you didnāt hear something that they did. They also may say that youāre turning the volume up on the television to levels that they find unbearably loud.
When Another Health Condition Affects Hearing
This is one youāll want to discuss with your doctor. But itās worth noting that many health conditions, such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes, are linked to hearing loss. If youāve recently been diagnosed with a condition that can affect hearing, itās worth scheduling a hearing test right away to establish a hearing baseline, then continuing to monitor your hearing health for changes.
The Risk: Leaving Hearing Loss Untreated
We know it can be intimidating to start a new health program. However, leaving hearing loss untreated doesnāt mean the problem will go away. Rather, it will get worse as hearing loss continues to progress over time. This can have massive ripple effects across your health and quality of life, including weakened social relationships, loneliness and social isolation, increased risk of depression or anxiety, lessened independence and self-mastery and personal safety concerns.
This is why we encourage you to seek treatment as soon as possible. Treatment becomes easier the sooner you take action, and it can even slow the progression of hearing loss. If youāre ready to move forward with this essential treatment, call us at Waterville Audiology today to make an appointment.