If you’ve been diagnosed with hearing loss, you might be feeling a little lost and unsure about what the future holds right now. But it’s more than possible to live fully and in a sustainable way with hearing loss. You simply need to know how to do that and how to manage the condition best.
We’re going to talk about that and more today, so make the most of the 10 useful tips for managing hearing loss below.
1. Communicate with Your Audiologist
First of all, you should try to ensure you stay in regular contact and communication with your audiologist. Doing so will make your life a lot easier and ensure you’re able to stay on top of your condition. They’ll check for changes in your hearing and can then make adjustments to any hearing instruments you might be using.
2. Maintain Hearing Aids Carefully If You Use Them
If you are using hearing aids, you should take steps to maintain them and look after them properly because doing so will make your life a lot easier than it might otherwise be. Unclean and uncared for hearing aids don’t offer the same level of clarity and performance that well-maintained devices do.
3. Get the Most Out of the Hearing Instruments You Use
Using hearing aids is generally seen as the best way of treating hearing loss. But it’s a strategy that’s most effective when you know how to get the most out of your hearing instruments. That can be done by setting them up properly, having them calibrated by your audiologist and adjusting them when necessary. You should also learn to navigate all the features the device offers.
4. Create a Better Environment for Smooth and Easy Communication
The environment around you will have a significant impact on how easy it is for you to communicate with people. When talking to those close to you, try to limit the amount of background noise and speak face to face. Both of these things make it much easier for people with hearing loss to communicate successfully and smoothly.
5. Address New Symptoms as They Arise
If you notice any new problems or hearing loss symptoms that you hadn’t noticed before, you should see your audiologist about them. They should always be kept in the loop regarding changes to your hearing so they can get to the bottom of what’s happening and offer a solution if one is needed.
6. Protect Your Hearing in Loud Situations
Just because you’ve already experienced hearing loss, that doesn’t mean you should stop caring about protecting your ears and hearing. If anything, doing so only becomes more important. Protecting your hearing in loud situations will ensure the level of hearing loss you’ve already experienced doesn’t get worse than it already is.
7. Look After Your Overall Health
There are many different things that can impact your hearing. And generally looking after your body, eating healthy, being active and getting enough sleep are all things that can help you to look after your hearing better. Anything you can do to look after your health in general will be positive for the health of your hearing too.
8. Be Patient as You Adapt
As you get used to your new reality and what it’s like to live with hearing loss and hearing aids, you should try to be as patient with yourself as possible. It’s going to be difficult, challenging and maybe frustrating at times. But as you learn and get used to it, things will get better.
9. Be Open About It with Those Around You
Being open about your situation with those closest to you is something that can be really important when you’re looking to adapt to your hearing loss. People will be understanding and make an effort to help if they know what you’re going through, so don’t keep it hidden.
10. Get Better at Reading Non-Verbal Cues
One thing that many people with hearing loss find very helpful is learning to use and read non-verbal cues better. Even if you didn’t catch every word of what someone said, you can often understand, especially when you pay attention to expressions and body language.
If you have any further questions or concerns about living with hearing loss and managing it sustainably, you can meet with one of your audiologists here at Albuquerque Hearing and Balance and they’ll be more than happy to assist you. We’ve worked with many people in your position and helped them to manage their hearing loss effectively. To get in touch, simply call us today at (505) 750-9569.