Recently Been Diagnosed With Hearing Loss? Here Are A Few Small Things That Can Help

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with hearing loss, know that you’re not alone. This is an extremely prevalent condition with millions of people diagnosed worldwide. 

Of course, knowing that other people have the same problem sometimes doesn’t provide much solace; it doesn’t help with the fact that you’ve got to live with it. This is where your GP, audiologist, and potentially an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist come in to devise a treatment plan specifically for you. This usually involves medication, hearing aids, or both. 

Having these elements in place is essential, but they’re not everything. There are also many small things you can use on a daily basis that add up to make a big difference, and today, we’re going to talk about them. 

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1. The NIOSH Sound Level Meter

The NIOSH Sound Level Meter can be an invaluable tool for those suffering from hearing loss, as it enables you to measure the sound level of any environment in real time using your smartphone. 

The tool is downloaded as an application. For your reference, it provides a chart explaining the level at which sounds become damaging to hearing, so that no matter where you are, you know when you need to wear your earplugs. 

One of the most important elements of managing hearing loss is ensuring it doesn’t get worse, and an app like this can really help. 

2. Create and Look for Quiet Spaces

Whether you use a hearing aid or not, even moderately loud spaces can be overwhelming for those with hearing loss. For this reason, it’s important to both create and remain on the lookout for quiet spaces. 

At home, you can designate a specific room as a quiet area, and if things get a little much with family and friends, you can retreat here for a little while to relax. Quite spaces for hearing don’t have to be anything fancy – just somewhere you feel comfortable and can release some ear fatigue. 

3. Communicate Openly With Friends and Family

Open communication is crucial in all areas of life, but especially if you have hearing loss. 

Those with hearing issues are at a higher risk of becoming withdrawn. If conversations are more difficult, and sometimes people get irritated that you haven’t heard something, it can make you feel like not bothering to speak at all. 

This is, of course, not the answer. Withdrawing will only make you feel worse, and in some cases, hearing loss can end up being a precursor to mental health conditions like depression. 

Try your best to be open about your needs. Talk to those close to you about how your hearing loss affects you to help them understand. It may also be beneficial to consider some family counseling. Communication is often overlooked, and small changes can make a world of difference. 

Wrapping Up 

Hopefully, the above points will help you (and those around you) better acclimatise to your hearing loss. There’s plenty that can be done besides traditional treatment. Good luck!