There are numerous 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 cause fatigue and that’s hearing loss.
That’s at least partly because of the fact that hearing loss normally progresses slowly over time. You may not immediately recognize the symptoms and, as a result, you may feel as if you’re constantly tired for no reason. This experience can be very frustrating. Additionally, this exhaustion can frequently lead to irritability and, eventually, social isolation. Fortunately, your energy levels will usually improve once you get your hearing loss treated.
Your brain will compensate for gradually developing hearing loss
For most individuals, hearing loss is a very slow-moving condition that grows worse over time. In its early phases, you probably won’t even detect that you’re developing hearing loss. If you’re not specifically watching for them, even obvious symptoms, like turning the volume on your audio devices way up, can be easy to miss.
Exhaustion is one of the most noticeable symptoms of hearing loss. Regardless of how much rest you get, you could still feel fatigued. This symptom, unfortunately, isn’t usually associated with hearing loss.
That’s because the cause occurs in your brain. When your ears aren’t getting as much information, your brain works overtime to comprehend it all. In the same way as sustained periods of intense concentration can leave you fatigued, the extra brain power needed to hear what individuals are saying can be exhausting. Your ability to perform daily tasks and your general quality of life can be significantly affected over time as your untreated hearing loss grows worse.
Stigma plays a role
So when people start to feel fatigue, why wouldn’t they simply consult a hearing specialist? One partial explanation is that individuals just don’t associate tiredness with hearing loss. But there’s another reason that might inevitably be more detrimental: stigma. There’s a feeling that hearing loss is bad or ruins your life or that there’s nothing you can do about it. Individuals will frequently avoid pursuing treatment because of these false notions.
However, as more individuals are open about their hearing loss experience, the stigma has started to fade. Many people understand that hearing loss isn’t some kind of social failing, and the very small construction of modern hearing aids makes them easy to hide around people who sadly will not let go of this stigma.
It’s a shame that this social stigma can make it harder for individuals to find the care they need because this often leads to hearing loss that gets worse over time when it might not have to.
Treatment options for hearing loss-related fatigue
There are often no apparent symptoms of early stage hearing loss. That’s why hearing specialists favor taking a preventative strategy rather than the far more difficult and less effective reactive method. For instance, scheduling routine screenings with a hearing specialist before you notice symptoms can help establish a baseline of what your healthy hearing looks like. Early treatment will be a lot more effective after we have determined that baseline.
If your hearing loss is causing fatigue, there are some steps you can take to lessen that exhaustion as much as possible. Here are a few of the most common and easiest steps:
- Consult a hearing specialist: It’s important to monitor your hearing health. When hearing loss is in its early phases, your brain doesn’t need to work as hard as it does when the condition gets worse, and a hearing specialist can diagnose hearing loss when it first begins to develop.
- Give yourself a rest in between conversations: In between conversation, take a quiet break somewhere. Your brain is working overtime to engage in conversation and brief breaks will make that more sustainable.
- If you have hearing aids, wear them as frequently as you can: One of the primary functions of hearing aids is to clarify human speech, making understanding conversations a lot easier. This means you won’t be as tired because your brain won’t have to work so hard.
- Try to have conversations in quieter areas: When there is a lot of background noise, it can be difficult to sort out voices, even with hearing aids in some cases. 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, reducing fatigue in the process.
So if you’re experiencing an unusual amount of exhaustion and tiredness, with no discernible cause, it might be time to plan a visit to your hearing specialist. Treating hearing loss can help you lessen your exhaustion and boost your energy. Don’t let stigma cause your hearing loss to continue to be untreated.