Collateral Consequences Of Hearing Loss
Do you have relatives or coworkers that are losing their hearing? Have you had little skirmishes on minutiae based on miscommunication? Or do such individuals seem generally withdrawn, and sad? Oftentimes hearing loss affects people in a negative way. Some are able to contend with it in a way that is so exceptional, you wouldn’t know they have a problem.
A lot of people have difficulty, though. Even Helen Keller seems to indicate hearing issues are worse than those involving sight; and she would know. Those who contend with hearing issues from birth don’t have quite the same issues as those who quickly or gradually lose hearing in later life, but they have their own difficulties in learning and social interaction.
In this writing we’ll briefly explore what hearing issues do to people, and what you can do to help them.
A Deeper Look At How Hearing Problems Affect People
Going deaf or losing your hearing makes it difficult for you to communicate with the outside world meaningfully, which can lead to depression, irritability, and cognitive development issues in the young. For those who lose hearing with age, irritation tends to be a primary consequence. If someone you know is getting angry regularly, hearing could be the issue.
Put yourself in their shoes: someone says something to you perfectly clearly, but all you hear is a muffled conglomeration of syllables. So you say “what?”, and they repeat what they’ve said—now it’s no more clear, and you know the issue isn’t with their speaking, but your hearing. So what do you do? You might just snap a little, and be short or terse with them.
If you’re the person trying to communicate with this individual, such abrupt emotional responses will likely have an emotional impact on you as well. But the key is to remember they’re dealing with a difficult situation they can’t fix on their own. Mercy, grace, and patience are the ways to approach this situation.
When you can be patient and graceful, you’ll find such activity has a positive effect on the individual you know who is losing their hearing. Whether they show it immediately or not, they’ll appreciate your effort to try and understand them. Now you’ve made an ally, and you may help them keep a more emotional even keel going forward.
Getting Evaluated To Determine What The Healthiest Options Are
Something else you might do, especially if the individual in question is someone who lives with you, or is otherwise quite close, is help them get evaluated at this Southern Maine hearing aid center. If that center is too far, perhaps think of the link as a template for similar centers in your area.
Professionals like Staten Island Audiology can conduct medical tests which identify associated hearing issues, helping those in need get help that actually produces results. Centers like that may even be able to help those suffering from hearing loss figure out ways of funding hearing aid solutions through insurance or other programs to save money.
Styles In Hearing Augmentation To Match Your Situation
After you learn how to deal with individuals with hearing loss, and get them evaluated for hearing augmentation solutions, the next step is finding proper hearing aid styles to fit their needs. Some don’t care if the aid is visible, others prefer camouflaged options that aren’t immediately visible to strangers.
The keys are empathy and patience. Especially with family, congenital hearing loss may be something you eventually have to deal with. So exercise understanding—your hearing might go eventually as well.
Read our other health related articles to improve your knowledge.