Denial is a common first response. Surely, my loved one’s hearing loss isn’t as bad as it seems. She’s too young to need a hearing aid.
It’s possible, the two of you have begun to kid around with one another about it. Your loved one always asks you to speak up. You laugh about it like it’s just a game. But this game is getting old fast. You wonder if she’s just ignoring you or if she may actually be having some legit hearing trouble.
You want your loved one to have a healthy, active, and joyful life for years to come so it’s probably time to be encouraging and help them find the appropriate help.
If somebody you know needs hearing aids they will probably be showing these 4 prevalent symptoms.
1. She’s more tired than usual especially when you go out
Maybe you believe that it just normally occurs when you age. Your loved one really doesn’t have as much energy as they once did. When she says she isn’t feeling like going out tonight, you try to be patient.
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. This is especially true if they’re in a situation where there is more than one conversation happening, or there’s lots of background noise.
People who are straining to hear put excessive energy toward comprehending those around them. They frequently have to draw this energy from other functions in the brain like memory, talking, and moving.
Utilizing this additional brainpower doesn’t strengthen the brain; it just makes it tired. Your loved one will frequently seem to shut down with fatigue in social situations.
Don’t presume you understand what she’s experiencing. It may be a combination of things. But ask questions. Get to the underlying cause and suggest that she gets her hearing tested.
2. She always turns the TV up too loud
Often, you will identify this symptom first. Whenever they play music or watch TV, they turn it up very loud.
Your living room sounds like a movie theater. You feel like you should make some popcorn, but it’s just your loved one blowing your ears out with the TV. You can even hear it from outside.
She might turn it down when you tell her it’s too loud. But actually, she turned closed captions on.
She might not want to acknowledge that she actually can’t hear the TV. If this is occurring a lot, it might be time for you to recommend a hearing exam.
3. She often needs people to repeat what they said
If you’re in a really loud environment like a concert or movie theater or she’s really focused on a movie, then it may be nothing. If it’s occurring more often than that, be aware.
Similarly, pay attention if she seems to have a lot of difficulty hearing when she’s on the phone.
Is she always annoyed because she thinks people are talking too low or muttering? Does she frequently 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 rift in the relationship
Researchers have found that couples, where one is dealing with hearing loss, have around 50% more quarrels. They might argue about what one of them may or may not have said, the volume of the TV, or other misunderstandings.
Overall, there’s just more tension in a household when somebody can’t hear. Their hearing loss is frustrating. Others get frustrated when they won’t go in for help. This leads to lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart or alone.
This can cause permanent damage to the relationship and the couple often doesn’t even realize 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 simply getting a hearing test. Inspire your loved one to schedule an appointment.
Individuals who realize they need hearing aids and use them say they’d never go back. In fact, they regret they waited so long to get them in the first place. Their general quality of life will be significantly improved.
It can be a challenging conversation to have. But when your loved one finally gets the help they require it will all have been worth it.
Need more helpful ideas about how to handle your loved one’s hearing loss? Call us right away!