The Facial Expressions that Come with Hearing Loss

When you are concentrating during a conversation have people ever asked you why you look so angry, when you are not? Or, maybe others have commented on how irritated you look while speaking to them.

These facial expressions become more frequent, especially when there are several people around and there’s too much background noise. Others often misinterpret these looks as anger, annoyance, and frustration. This can cause hardships with your family, friends, and co-workers. 

The Effort Exerted for Individuals with Hearing Loss 

If you have hearing loss, comprehending speech is not a natural process. A lot of attention and effort is required to follow along in conversations. Some of the letters or words are heard, whereas some are not. Those with hearing loss need to essentially solve a puzzle, by using the sounds they can hear, and connecting it with the context of the conversation. The speaking continues whether you are able to follow along and process it or not. This listening effort can generate hearing loss exhaustion, and exhaustion in a general sense. It takes a lot of brain power to interpret noises.

It’s important to not only accept the fact that you have hearing loss, but to get help as soon as possible, in order to reduce your mental fatigue.  

How can People with Hearing Loss Diminish their Efforts in Listening? 

1. Practice good communication skills. Minor adjustments in your behavior can make a huge impact on your conversations with others. Ask whomever is speaking to face you so that you can read their lips as they talk. Let them know it would be helpful for them to speak at a moderate and consistent pace. These requests may need to be repeated, as a reminder.
2. Choose a setting that would be helpful to hear in. Request that you choose the location to meet or socialize with others. You can find a quiet and brightly-lit environment. If other people already chose the site, get there early to check out the space. Get a quieter seat, if possible. Make your needs known, so that others will be able to better communicate with you.
3. Arrive at your meeting/social gathering, well rested. You must take care of your physical needs. Get an adequate amount of sleep. Exercise, have a healthy diet, and stay hydrated. All of these things will help to increase your energy and you’ll be able to manage the stress of advocating for yourself when necessary.  
4. Additional assistive listening devices may be needed. In addition to hearing aids, there are other tools that can be used to communicate with others. There are speech-to-text apps (Google’s Live Transcribe) that can be used with your smartphone, or a remote controlled microphone (a Roger Select microphone)   
5. Take a break whenever necessary. Be sure to schedule breaks if you have a day filled with long meetings. This will help you keep up your energy and allow you to better focus on your work. If you are socializing, take a moment by yourself in a restroom or a different location away from everyone else. You’ll feel better and less drained by the time you need to leave.
6. Have a positive approach. You may encounter exhausting conversations. They could be draining, no matter how well prepared you think you are. Just accept it. Things will not be perfect. Exuding a calm and optimistic demeanor, will make those who you are communicating with eel the same way. With enough practice, your irritated looks may transform into a smile. 

If you, or a loved one, are in need of hearing aids or accessories like the Roger Select microphone, please contact us at Pure Sound Hearing Aids for a free hearing test and consultation. 

Pure Sound services will only be available by appointment and for essential visits at this time. Essential visits include all appointments that require repairs, re-fittings and new hearing aid fittings. If you have any problems with your hearing aids, or need supplies for your hearing aids, please call us before visiting one of our offices. 

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