Fatigue can have a variety of causes, ranging from a simple sleepless night to respiratory conditions such as sleep apnea. But there is something more common that can also cause fatigue and that’s hearing loss.
That’s at least partly due to the fact that hearing loss normally develops slowly over time. You might not immediately recognize the symptoms and, as a result, you may feel as though you’re constantly tired for no reason. This can be a frustrating experience. This exhaustion can frequently turn into irritability which could cause you to socially seclude yourself. The good news is that treating your hearing loss will frequently improve your energy levels, reducing tiredness and exhaustion.
Your brain will compensate for gradually progressing hearing loss
Hearing loss is typically a slowly progressing condition that grows worse over time. In its early stages, you probably won’t even detect that you’re developing hearing loss. If you’re not specifically watching for them, even conspicuous symptoms, like cranking the volume on your audio devices way up, can be easy to overlook.
One of the harder to miss symptoms of hearing loss is often fatigue. In spite of how much rest you get, you could still feel fatigued. This symptom, unfortunately, isn’t typically associated with hearing loss.
Because the cause takes place in your brain, the symptoms aren’t usually considered an ear issue. When your ears aren’t receiving as much information, your brain works overtime to comprehend it all. This constant extra work is taxing in the same way that prolonged periods of concentration can take a toll. Your ability to complete daily tasks and your total quality of life can be significantly affected over time as your neglected hearing loss gets worse.
Stigma plays a role
So when individuals start to feel fatigue, why wouldn’t they just go see a hearing specialist? There are many explanations: frequently people are busy or thinking about other things. But there’s another reason that might inevitably be more detrimental: stigma. There’s an impression that hearing loss is terrible or ruins your life or that there’s nothing that can be done about it. All of these things are untrue, and they stop many individuals from finding treatment.
However, as more individuals are open about their hearing loss experience, the stigma has begun to disappear. Many individuals understand that hearing loss isn’t some kind of social failing, and the very small nature of modern hearing aids makes them easy to hide around people who sadly will not let go of this stigma.
Regrettably, this perception of social stigma can cause individuals in the early stages of hearing loss to avoid getting the treatment they need resulting in more severe permanent hearing loss.
How to deal with hearing loss-associated fatigue
The earliest phases of hearing loss may not have any apparent symptoms. That makes it difficult to effectively take a reactive approach, and it’s why many hearing specialists favor preventative techniques. For instance, scheduling regular screenings with a hearing specialist before you detect symptoms can help establish a baseline of what your healthy hearing looks like. Once this baseline is achieved, early intervention is often a lot more effective.
If your hearing loss is causing fatigue, there are some steps you can take to minimize that exhaustion as much as possible. Here are a few of the most common and easiest steps:
- Make sure you use your hearing aids as frequently as you can: One of the chief functions of hearing aids is to clarify human speech, making understanding conversations much easier. This means your brain won’t have to work as hard and you will not experience the same degree of fatigue.
- Try to have conversations in quieter places: Sorting out voices from background noise can be difficult when you have hearing loss (often whether you’re using hearing aids or not). It will be easier, and less exhausting, to understand conversations if you move them to a quieter area.
- Schedule an assessment with a hearing specialist: Keeping an eye on the state of your hearing is important. Visiting a hearing specialist can help you identify 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.
- Give yourself a break in between conversations: In between conversation, take a quiet break somewhere. Your brain is working extra hard to engage in conversation and brief rests will make that more sustainable.
It’s probably time to schedule an appointment with a hearing specialist if you’re experiencing exhaustion with no evident cause. Treating hearing loss can help you lessen your exhaustion and boost your energy. Don’t neglect your hearing loss because you’re afraid of the stigma.