It’s a common first reaction – denial. Surely, my loved one’s hearing loss isn’t as bad as it seems. She’s too young to require a hearing aid.
Perhaps, it’s become a joke between the two of you. Your loved one always asks you to speak up. You laugh about it like it’s just a game. But it’s starting to become less and less funny. You question whether she’s just ignoring you or if she may actually be having some legit hearing trouble.
You want your loved one to have a balanced, energetic, and joyful life for years to come so it’s probably time to be supportive and help them find the appropriate help.
Here are 4 prevalent indications that somebody you know needs a hearing aid.
1. She’s more tired than normal particularly when you go out
Perhaps you think that it just normally occurs when you get older. Your loved one really doesn’t have as much energy as they once did. You try to relate when she says that won’t be going out tonight.
You really begin to suspect that something isn’t right when she begins missing meetings with clubs, organizations, and hobby groups she’s always loved. Loud noise seems to sap your loved one’s energy. If there is a lot of background noise, or if more than one conversation is happening simultaneously, this is particularly true.
People who are straining to hear put excess energy toward comprehending people around them. They often have to pull this energy from other functions in the brain such as memory, speaking, and moving.
This use of additional energy is actually fatiguing the brain not strengthening it. In social settings, exhaustion will often seem to shut your loved one down.
If you’re not going through the same thing, don’t assume you can relate to what she’s going through. Her feelings might be the result of numerous factors. But ask questions. Get to the root cause and recommend that she get a hearing test.
2. She always turns the TV up really loud
This is frequently one of the first signs that you might identify in another person. They can’t seem to watch TV or play music at a normal volume.
Your living room sounds like a cinema. You instantly get the urge to make some popcorn, except you realize that she’s just watching a reality show or documentary at a volume that almost blows your ears out. You can even hear it from outside.
She may turn it down when you tell her it’s too loud. But actually, she turned on closed captions.
She might not want to admit that she actually can’t hear the TV. If this is occurring a lot, it may be time for you to suggest a hearing exam.
3. She often needs people to repeat what they said
It may not be a problem if you are in a very loud setting or she’s really zoned in on something. If it’s happening more frequently than that, be aware.
Also, if she’s struggling to hear phone conversations you should pay attention.
Is she constantly aggravated because she thinks people are speaking too low or mumbling? Does she regularly need people to repeat what they said? It’s time for a compassionate talk about the advantages of hearing aids.
4. You’re feeling a tension in the relationship
Couples argue two times as much when one of them is dealing with hearing loss, according to research. These quarrels may be about TV volume, misunderstandings, or what one says the other person may or may not have said.
When somebody can’t hear, there will be a lot more tension in a household. Their hearing loss is stressful. Others get upset when they won’t get help. This leads to lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart and alone.
This can lead to irreversible damage to the relationship and the couple frequently doesn’t even recognize that hearing loss is the cause. It’s important to get the proper help because even moderate hearing loss can strain relationships.
Whether it’s a friend, sibling, or partner, you can get new perspective on your relationships by getting a simple hearing test. Talk to your loved one about getting their hearing assessed.
If someone has hearing loss, hearing aids can improve their lives and most will say they would never go back. Usually, they wish they would have done it sooner. They feel happier, healthier, and more energetic.
It’s not an easy discussion to have. But the difficulty of this discussion is worth it when your loved one finally finds the assistance they need.
Call us right away and let us help you with some ideas about how to tackle your loved one’s hearing loss!
