Hearing loss is a gradual process, it will sneak up on you and before you know it you’re asking friends to repeat themselves and turning up the TV until family members are cringing at the volume. You are not alone. Hearing Loss is the 3rd most common health condition among adults and about 1 in 5 of us will experience hearing loss at varying degrees.
It’s important that you get you get your ears checked every few years and annually from the age of 60. If you start to notice signs of hearing loss visit an audiologist as soon as you can. Don’t ignore the problem as it has the potential to get worse and lessen your chance of successful treatment. On average someone with hearing loss waits 7 – 10 years before getting checked! Unfortunately this can mean permanent untreatable loss and a risk to your quality of life.
You deserve to fully experience all life has to offer and those special moments that make your world spin. Is it hearing your grandchild laugh for the first time? Or maybe it’s that first hint of spring and the birds singing in perfect harmony. Whatever it is, don’t risk losing it, keep an eye out for signs of hearing loss and visit your audiologist if you are worried.
CAN YOU REPEAT THAT?
We’ve all been there. You meet someone for the first time and as you’re introduced to them you miss their name, so you ask again and sometimes again until it gets to the point that you still haven’t heard it correctly but you’re too embarrassed to continue asking. You smile and move the conversation on, but you feel at a loss.
This is a usually where people first start to dismiss their hearing loss. ‘Everyone misses words every now and then’, ‘Why don’t they speak up’ or maybe you remove yourself completely from the conversation out of frustration. A tactic that can very quickly lead to isolation and feeling lost.
If your friends and family are becoming irritated by you asking them to repeat what they have said, or they think you’re not listening to them, it’s wise to get your hearing checked out.
CAN YOU TURN THAT UP?
Do you find yourself straining to hear the news? Inching the volume up bit by bit until someone complains? If so it’s probably time to see a specialist.
Don’t ignore that voice telling you this isn’t normal. You’d be amazed at the amount of people who sacrifice their hearing quality with a casual ‘it isn’t that bad’ – don’t let that be you.
I CAN’T HEAR YOU.
Have you recently increased the ringer on your phone or the volume so you can hear the other person better? Is a once exciting weekly phone call, turning into a lesson in patience and frustration? A phone call is a simple social interaction that shouldn’t be a difficult endeavor. Take this seriously as a possible sign of hearing loss.
I’M GOING TO HEAD HOME.
Many social gatherings involve large groups making a lot of noise. People shout over one another to be the loudest, the room almost seems to vibrate with sound and at the best of times we might struggle to hear. What about the conversation with the person next to you or the friend sitting across the table? Hearing loss at a close range is definitely something we should be aware of and not brush off as a result of our surroundings. Have you ever felt completely isolated on an evening out with friends, unable to join the conversation or even follow it at times? Have you ever left early because of this?
Take your life into your own hands and reach out to an audiologist today, the route to a more fulfilling life is only a few clicks away.
