There are a number of potential causes of exhaustion, everything from not being able to sleep at night to respiratory problems like sleep apnea. But there is something more common that can also cause tiredness and that’s hearing loss.
To some extent, that’s because hearing loss can be a slow-moving, subtle condition. You may 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 fatigue can frequently turn into irritability which could cause you to socially isolate yourself. The good news is that treating your hearing loss will often boost your energy levels, mitigating tiredness and exhaustion.
Hearing loss progresses gradually (and your brain compensates)
For the majority of individuals, hearing loss is a very slow-moving condition that grows worse over time. You may not even realize that you have a hearing loss at first. Even prevalent symptoms, like cranking up the volume on your TV and smartphone, can be easy to miss if you aren’t watching for them.
One of the more difficult to miss symptoms of hearing loss is often fatigue. No matter how much rest you get, you could still feel fatigued. This symptom, regrettably, isn’t usually associated with hearing loss.
Because the cause happens in your brain, the symptoms aren’t usually considered an ear issue. 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 extended periods of concentration can take a toll. Left untreated, this fatigue can get worse over time, affecting your quality of life and your ability to perform daily routine tasks.
Stigma plays a role
So when individuals begin to feel fatigue, why wouldn’t they simply visit a hearing specialist? One partial explanation is that individuals just don’t connect fatigue with hearing loss. But the perception of stigma is another cause which can be even more damaging. 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 false, and they stop many individuals from seeking treatment.
However, as more people are open about their hearing loss experience, the stigma has begun 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 unfortunately will not get over this stigma.
Regrettably, this perception of social stigma can cause individuals in the early stages of hearing loss to put off on getting the treatment they need resulting in more severe permanent hearing loss.
Treatment options for hearing loss-related fatigue
The earliest stages of hearing loss may not have any noticeable symptoms. That makes it difficult to effectively take a reactive approach, and it’s why many hearing specialists prefer preventative approaches. Hearing specialists recommend 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 achieved, early intervention is frequently much more effective.
If your hearing loss is causing fatigue, there are a few steps you can take to minimize that exhaustion as much as possible. Some of the easiest and most common steps include the following:
- If you use hearing aids, wear them as often as possible: One of the main 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.
- Take breaks from 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.
- Try to locate more quiet, isolated spots for conversations: 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 an area with less background noise can make it easier for your brain to focus on the voice you’re trying to hear, lessening fatigue in the process.
- Consult a hearing specialist: Keeping an eye on the condition of your hearing is important. Seeing a hearing specialist can help you identify hearing loss in its early stages when it’s less of an issue and your brain doesn’t need to work as hard to compensate.
It’s most likely time to schedule an appointment with a hearing specialist if you’re experiencing exhaustion with no obvious cause. Treating hearing loss can help you minimize your exhaustion and boost your energy. Don’t let stigma cause your hearing loss to continue to be untreated.