There are lots of possible causes of fatigue, everything from the inability to sleep at night to respiratory problems like sleep apnea. But there is something more common that can also be the cause of fatigue and that’s hearing loss.
In part, that’s because hearing loss can be a gradually-moving, subtle condition. You may find yourself constantly exhausted for no apparent reason because you failed to recognize the symptoms of early hearing loss. This can be a frustrating experience. This fatigue can often turn into irritability which could cause you to socially seclude yourself. Luckily, your energy levels will typically increase once you get your hearing loss treated.
Your brain will compensate for slowly progressing hearing loss
For most individuals, hearing loss is a very gradually-progressing condition that grows worse over time. You may not even realize that you have a hearing impairment at first. Even common symptoms, like cranking the volume up on your TV and smartphone, can be easy to miss if you’re not watching for them.
One of the more difficult to miss symptoms of hearing loss is often fatigue. You may feel depleted no matter how much rest you got the night before. This symptom, regrettably, isn’t usually associated with hearing loss.
Because the cause takes place in your brain, the symptoms aren’t generally considered an ear problem. Your brain needs to work extra hard to process sound because of the loss of your ability to hear, which can leave you exhausted. This continual extra work is taxing in the same way that long periods of concentration can take a toll. Your ability to perform daily tasks and your overall quality of life can be substantially impacted over time as your neglected hearing loss gets worse.
Stigma plays a role
So why don’t more people just consult a hearing specialist when they start feeling tired? There are several explanations: frequently people are busy or thinking about other things. But the notion of stigma is another cause which can be even more detrimental. Individuals often feel like others will think they’re old if they have hearing loss and that acknowledging it will ruin their lives. Individuals will often avoid seeking treatment because of these false ideas.
However, as more individuals are open about their hearing loss experience, the stigma has begun to fade. It’s becoming a more common understanding that hearing loss can happen to individuals of all ages and today’s hearing aids are discreet enough that the few people who can’t let go of this stigma won’t even see them.
It’s a shame that this social stigma can make it more difficult for people to find the care they need because this often leads to hearing loss that gets worse over time when it might not have to.
How to manage hearing loss-associated fatigue
The earliest phases of hearing loss might not have any apparent symptoms. That makes it challenging to effectively take a reactive approach, and it’s why many hearing specialists prefer preventative techniques. Hearing specialists advocate for regular screenings in order to establish a baseline of your healthy hearing, that way they will be able to identify changes to your hearing in later screenings. Once this baseline is established, early intervention is often far more effective.
You can minimize hearing loss associated exhaustion by taking a few proactive measures. Here are several of the most prevalent and easiest steps:
- If you have hearing aids, wear them as frequently as possible: One of the chief functions of hearing aids is to clarify human speech, making understanding conversations a lot easier. This means you won’t be as fatigued because your brain won’t need to work so hard.
- Give yourself a rest in between conversations: In between conversation, take a quiet rest somewhere. This can help your brain recover from all the work it’s doing and make everyday communication a little more sustainable.
- See a hearing specialist: It’s important to monitor your hearing health. Visiting a hearing specialist can help you detect hearing loss in its early stages when it’s less of a problem and your brain doesn’t need to work as hard to compensate.
- Try to have conversations in quieter spots: Sorting out voices from background noise can be difficult when you have hearing loss (often whether you’re wearing hearing aids or not). It will be easier, and less fatiguing, to understand conversations if you move them to a quieter area.
It’s probably time to make an appointment with a hearing specialist if you’re experiencing fatigue with no evident cause. Treating hearing loss can help you reduce your exhaustion and boost your energy. Don’t neglect your hearing loss because you’re concerned about the stigma.