It’s a normal first response – denial. My loved one must be simply making it seem as if their hearing loss is worse than it really is. She’s too young to require a hearing aid.
Maybe, it’s become a joke between the two of you. She is always requesting that you repeat what you said. You joke about it like it’s just a game. But this game is getting old fast. You question whether she’s simply disregarding 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 encouraging and help them seek out the appropriate help.
Here are 4 common signs that somebody you know needs a hearing aid.
1. She’s more tired than normal especially when you go out
Perhaps you think that it just normally happens when you age. Your loved one used to have much more energy. You try to understand when she says that she’s not going out tonight.
You really start to think that something isn’t right when she starts skipping meetings with clubs, organizations, and hobby groups she’s always loved. Loud noise seems to drain 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.
Extra energy is needed to hear and comprehend what people are saying when someone is struggling with hearing issues. They often have to pull this energy from other brain functions like memory, speaking, and moving.
This use of additional energy is actually fatiguing the brain not strengthening it. Your loved one will frequently seem to shut down with exhaustion in social settings.
If you’re not going through the same thing, don’t presume you can relate to what she’s going through. Her feelings might be due to numerous factors. In order to get to the root of the issue, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing test.
2. She watches the TV LOUD
Often, you will notice this symptom first. Whenever they listen to music or watch TV, they turn it up really loud.
You walk into the room, and it sounds like you’ve just entered a movie theater. You feel like you should have some popcorn, but it’s just your loved one blowing your ears out with the TV. You can even hear it from outdoors.
She might turn it down when you tell her it’s too loud. Then you realize that she just switched on the captions.
Perhaps she’s ashamed about it. It’s likely time for you to suggest a hearing assessment if this is a regular thing.
3. She frequently needs people to repeat what they said
If you’re in a really loud setting like a concert or movie theater or she’s really concentrated on a movie, then it might be nothing. If it’s happening more frequently than that, pay attention.
Also, if she’s struggling to hear phone calls you should pay attention.
Is she griping about people muttering or talking low constantly? Is she asking people to repeat themselves? If so, it’s time to have that loving conversation about how much more enjoyable life is with hearing aids.
4. Your relationship is feeling tense
Researchers have discovered that couples, where one is dealing with hearing loss, have about 50% more arguments. They may argue about what one of them may or may not have said, the volume of the TV, or other misconceptions.
When somebody isn’t able to hear, there will be much more stress in a household. They get aggravated about their hearing loss. And their refusal to seek out help is frustrating to others. This often results in people choosing to spend more time apart due to more hurt feelings.
This can cause permanent harm to the relationship and the couple often doesn’t even realize that hearing loss is the reason. Even moderate hearing loss can strain a relationship, so it pays to get it checked out.
Whether it’s a friend, sibling, or partner, you can get new perspective on your relationships by simply getting a hearing test. Speak with your loved one about getting a hearing test.
If someone has hearing loss, hearing aids can change their lives and most will state they would never go back. As a matter of fact, they regret they waited so long to get them in the first place. They feel happier, healthier, and more active.
It can be a challenging talk to have. But when your loved one finally gets the help they need it will all have been worth it.
Need more useful ideas about how to address your loved one’s hearing loss? Call us right away!