The first realisation that you may have a hearing loss can be a little frightening for some people and you may want to ignore it and hide the signs from those closest to you. We are here to tell you that feeling that way is totally normal but there’s no need to feel afraid. Doing something proactive when you notice a hearing loss is brilliant and the sooner a hearing loss can be diagnosed, the sooner the correct treatment can be prescribed. If you are a little unsure about what to do next after deciding you may be experiencing hearing difficulties, we have a few do’s and dont’s for you.
Do’s and Dont’s
- Do go and get your ears checked by a hearing healthcare professional – they can tell you if you are suffering from excess earwax that may be causing the hearing loss and they can do a full hearing consultation with you
- Do check with those around you if they are also struggling to hear something in certain situations – if they’re not, this could be a real sign that you are suffering with a hearing loss
- Do some research before seeing a hearing healthcare professional so you can find one that you trust – you can always ask friends and family for their recommendations
- Do go and talk to anyone you know who has a hearing loss – if you don’t know anyone, there are lots of national and local groups that you could ask for support, as well as social media communities who would be happy to answer any queries
- Don’t ignore it – it won’t get better on its own
- Don’t believe you are too young to have a hearing loss
- Don’t stop going out and putting yourself in social situations because you are worried about your hearing
- Don’t think that hearing loss only affects your hearing – if left untreated, hearing loss is strongly link to cognitive decline
And most importantly, don’t be afraid! There are so many people out there to support you, as well as your loved ones. If you would like to speak to someone regarding a potential hearing loss, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
