There are numerous potential causes of exhaustion, everything from being unable to sleep at night to respiratory problems like sleep apnea. But many people are surprised to find out that chronic tiredness and exhaustion can also be due to something fairly common: hearing loss.
That’s at least partly because of the fact that hearing loss usually progresses slowly over time. You may find yourself constantly fatigued for no apparent reason because you failed to detect the symptoms of early hearing loss. This can be a frustrating experience. In addition, this exhaustion can often lead to irritability and, ultimately, social isolation. Luckily, your energy levels will normally increase once you get your hearing loss treated.
Hearing loss moves slowly (and your brain compensates)
For most people, hearing loss is a very gradually-progressing condition that grows worse over time. In its early stages, you likely won’t even detect that you’re developing hearing loss. Even common symptoms, like turning the volume up on your TV and smartphone, can be easy to miss if you aren’t watching for them.
Exhaustion is one of the most obvious symptoms of hearing loss. In spite of how much rest you get, you could still feel fatigued. Regrettably, many individuals don’t instinctively link this symptom with hearing loss.
Because the cause happens in your brain, the symptoms aren’t usually considered an ear problem. When your ears aren’t getting as much information, your brain works overtime to make sense of it all. This constant extra work is taxing in the same way that long periods of concentration can take a toll. Left neglected, this exhaustion can grow worse over time, affecting your quality of life and your ability to complete daily routine activities.
The role of stigma
So why don’t more people just visit a hearing specialist when they begin feeling fatigued? One partial reason is that people just don’t connect fatigue with hearing loss. But there’s another reason that may ultimately be more detrimental: stigma. There’s a feeling that hearing loss is bad or ruins your life or that there’s nothing that can be done about it. Individuals will frequently 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. Many individuals understand that hearing loss is not some type of social failing, and the very small construction of modern hearing aids makes them easy to hide around folks who unfortunately will not get over this stigma.
Unfortunately, this perception of social stigma can cause people in the early stages of hearing loss to avoid getting the treatment they need resulting in more severe permanent hearing loss.
Treatment options for hearing loss-related fatigue
The earliest phases of hearing loss might not have any evident symptoms. That’s why hearing specialists prefer to take a preventative approach rather than the far more difficult and less effective reactive approach. Hearing specialists advocate for regular screenings in order to create 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 frequently far more effective.
If your hearing loss is causing fatigue, there are a few steps you can take to lessen that exhaustion as much as possible. Here are a few of the most prevalent and easiest steps:
- See a hearing specialist: Keeping an eye on the state of your hearing is essential. When hearing loss is in its early stages, your brain doesn’t need to work as hard as it does when the condition worsens, and a hearing specialist can diagnose hearing loss when it first begins to develop.
- Try to have conversations in quieter areas: When there is a lot of background noise, it can be challenging to sort out voices, even with hearing aids in some circumstances. Moving conversations to a location with less background noise can make it easier for your brain to focus on the voice you’re trying to hear, minimizing fatigue in the process.
- Take breaks from conversations: In between conversation, take a quiet break somewhere. This can help your brain recuperate from all the work it’s doing and make day-to-day communication a little more sustainable.
- Be 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 need to work as hard and you will not experience the same degree of fatigue.
It’s most likely time to schedule an appointment with a hearing specialist if you’re experiencing exhaustion with no apparent cause. Treating hearing loss can help you reduce your exhaustion and boost your energy. Don’t neglect your hearing loss because you’re afraid of the stigma.