If you think your hearing might be failing, it can be challenging to know what to do next. You don’t always have a clear path for how to proceed.
Fortunately, this post is here to help. We look at some of the things you can do as you get older to preserve your hearing and perhaps even improve it!
Monitor Your Symptoms
The first thing you’ll want to do is monitor your symptoms. Everyone is unique, so if you have hearing problems, they may not follow the same course as other people you know.
You’ll want to start by going to the audiologist and getting them to give you a good look over. They can characterise the extent of hearing loss (and determine the type and cause). Then, you can see how it progresses or develops over time, if at all.
Consult A Doctor
Next, you’ll want to actually talk to your doctor about your ears. Getting some professional input can help put the condition in context and show you what to do next.
Learning how hearing clinics support better care is also a good idea. You want somewhere that really understands these conditions and can provide the best input possible.
Protect Your Ears
Once you have a diagnosis (or even before), it’s a good idea to figure out ways to protect your ears. This way, you can prevent anything in your environment that might be driving hearing loss from making it worse.
For example, if you work on a building site or as a DJ in the evenings, then hearing protection is critical. You want to ensure that you have the full coverage that you need to stop the damage.
When it comes to hearing protection, you have a couple of options. You can invest in ear muffs or ear plugs. Both are beneficial, but the latter often reduces noise input by even more.
Explore Treatment Options
Next, you’ll want to look at various treatment options. These can help you recover some of your hearing sometimes.
Hearing aids are the most common treatment that audiologists will recommend. These essentially modulate and amplify incoming sounds, making them easier for your brain to interpret.
Cochlear implants are another option. These are handy if you have a cochlear issue that’s relatively straightforward to fix.
Seek Support
Of course, living with a hearing issue isn’t benign. It can have a significant impact on your life, including your willingness to socialize with other people.
That’s why it is so critical to go out and seek support. Ideally, you want to avoid becoming more isolated as this can lead to other medical conditions, especially as you get older.
You might also want to discuss various coping strategies with your doctor. Again, these can help if you’re prone to depression or feeling negative.
Follow Up Regularly
Finally, you’ll want to follow up with your doctor regularly. They can monitor the situation and provide you with new treatments as they become necessary. They can also provide you with more strategies on how to cope.
