Brain fog is a type of cognitive impairment that can occur seemingly at random in those with untreated hearing loss or vestibular disorders. Feelings of confusion and diminished mental energy can seriously impact your ability to be productive. Learn how to identify your triggers and work your way through the haze.
What Is Brain Fog?
Brain fog is considered an invisible symptom; while you may be struggling, it won’t be noticeable to your friends or family. Common issues associated with brain fog include:
- Trouble concentrating
- Issues with executive function
- Impaired decision-making abilities
- Problems with memory
- Difficulty with word recall
- Trouble remembering names
Many who experience brain fog also report that they have trouble remembering specific things they were supposed to do. This can irritate those around them and increase feelings of anxiety.
Extended periods of brain fog can even put your safety at risk. If you are unable to understand and follow directions, you may end up in a bad part of town or take a wrong turn while on a hike on Alaopcas State Run Park and get lost.
How Hearing Loss Causes Brain Fog
Hearing involves both your ears and your brain. When you elect not to seek treatment for your hearing loss, your brain has to work extra hard in order to compensate for a lack of auditory information. This can impact your cognitive function and lead to mental fatigue.
Identifying Triggers
While brain fog may seem like it comes at random, it is usually triggered by an external factor in your lifestyle, diet or environment. The best way to prevent brain fog is to determine your triggers.
The best way to determine what triggers are linked with episodes of brain fog is by keeping a journal. You should write down as much information as possible about your health, diet, sleep, stress levels, lifestyle and environment. Something as seemingly innocuous as a change in barometric pressure may play a role in your symptoms. Make sure to indicate when you experienced brain fog or other cognitive symptoms. After a few weeks or months, you can look back at this data to begin to identify for patterns and connections.
Once a trigger has been determined, you can make a change to your lifestyle and see if your symptoms subside.
To learn more about brain fog or to schedule an appointment with a hearing expert, contact Wilmington Audiology today.