Having the full working use of your senses is of the utmost importance to everyone. The idea of losing one of your senses can be truly terrifying; with this fear heightened when you are experiencing issues with your senses in some way. Hearing and sight are the senses people are most afraid to lose, but how do you navigate this process should you (or someone you know) be experiencing problems?
It is estimated approximately one in six people in the UK are impacted by hearing loss in some way or another. If it is not impacting you, then it is sure to impact someone you know. That being said, if you are one of the people who are experiencing issues with your hearing, you will likely want to know what to do. Read on to discover more on this.
Get Your Hearing Tested
If you feel like you are having troubles with your hearing, or notice a change in someone close to you, then you would want to get things tested just to be sure. Having your hearing tested by an ear specialist is sure to provide you with reassurance as to whether there is anything wrong, and if so, what can be done to make things easier.
Booking an appointment as soon as you notice a change in hearing will ensure that any changes or differences are noticed sooner rather than later. Give yourself some peace of mind by having your hearing tested (or encouraging your friend/family member to do the same), and it will help the rest of the process run smoother.
Think About Lifestyle Changes
When experiencing issues with hearing, you would want to think about what could be causing the problems. What is causing hearing issues varies from one person to the next; there is no one-size-fits-all method to manage this.
Having your hearing tested by a consultant would give you a better idea of what could be causing your hearing issues. Take the time to establish what factors within your (and others) lifestyle are associated with hearing loss and whether you think they are significant enough to be causing problems. This includes having headphones too loud, working in a loud environment and standing too close to speakers during concerts and gigs.
At the same time, if you are working in a job associated with loud noises, you want to be wearing appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment) to protect your hearing and prevent any further damage from happening.
Talk To Family And Friends
If you are in a position where you are worried about your hearing loss, it is recommended that you speak to your family and friends about your concerns. While they might not be able to provide you with specialist suggestions on managing the hearing loss, they would be able to support you throughout the ongoing process.
At the same time, you should talk to your family and friends about different scenarios. While you would not want your hearing (or the person you are concerned about) to deteriorate any further, you want a plan of action to hand should this be the case, and talking about this plan with your family and friends will make organising and implementing it a lot easier.
Hearing issues can occur at any stage of life; from our kids in their development, to our later years when things just don’t work as they used to. Whether it is you directly or someone close to you, share the load with others and seek help to gain a full picture and how to manage it.
*Collaborative Post