Some people are embarrassed to admit to a hearing loss, consider it a sign of getting old, or think wearing hearing aids is uncomfortable. So, they ignore the fact that they can’t hear what people are saying or that they’re turning the TV volume up to ridiculous levels. But the truth is that ignoring even a mild hearing loss can affect your physical, emotional, and cognitive health.
The Negative Impact of Ignoring Hearing Loss
The Hearing Health Foundation reports, “Regardless of age, type of hearing loss, or cause, if left untreated or undetected hearing loss can have negative effects on your well-being.”
Here’s how:
1. People with mild hearing impairment are almost twice as likely to develop dementia, and the risk increases with the severity of the hearing impairment.
2. One study found that people with hearing loss lost cognitive abilities up to 40% more quickly than those without a hearing impairment.
3. The risk of falling is three times greater with even mild hearing loss, and that risk increases significantly with every additional 10 decibels of hearing loss.
4. Some research shows a link between hearing health and cardiovascular health, diabetes, and kidney disease.
5. Not being able to hear smoke alarms, sirens, etc., can cause physical harm.
6. Straining to hear or constantly asking people to repeat themselves is stressful and can cause stress-related problems, such as muscle tension, anxiety, fatigue, irritability, and depression.
7. Struggling to hear conversations can take a toll on your social life and lead to isolation and depression.
You are NOT Alone
According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), about 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from the use of hearing aids. And while age is definitely a factor in hearing loss, about two to three out of every 1,000 children born in the U.S. are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears.
And yet, the NIDCD reports, “Among adults aged 70 and older with hearing loss who could benefit from hearing aids, fewer than one in three (30 percent) has ever used them. Even fewer adults aged 20 to 69 (approximately 16 percent) who could benefit from wearing hearing aids have ever used them.”
It’s interesting to note that AARP reports that many celebrities wear hearing aids, including Eric Clapton, Whoopi Goldberg, Rob Lowe, Halle Berry, Holly Hunter, Robert Redford, and more.
And the cause of hearing loss isn’t always old age. For example, Holly Hunter and Rob Lowe are deaf in one ear due to a bout with mumps as children. Halle Berry lost eighty percent of hearing in her left ear after she was struck repeatedly by an abusive boyfriend. Robert Redford lost sixty percent of hearing in his left ear after a severe ear infection caused by being submerged in a water tank day after day during the filming of All is Lost in 2013.
If these people – who are often in the spotlight – are willing to wear hearing aids, why wouldn’t everyone with a hearing loss do the same?
Hearing Aids Advancements
And finally, people with hearing loss no longer need to worry that hearing aids are obtrusive or don’t work well because the advancements in hearing aids in the past decade has been phenomenal. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), “Hearing aids have advanced significantly over the past decade, primarily due to the maturing of digital technology. The next decade should see an even greater number of innovations to hearing aid technology.”
The bottom line: Today’s hearing aids are smaller, more powerful, and offer many new and helpful features.
What’s Your Next Step?
If you suspect that you or a loved one is suffering from hearing loss, your first step is a hearing screening. Precision Hearing Aid Center offers free hearing screening that includes Air Pure Tones, Speech Reception Thresholds, Bone Conduction Pure Tones, and Otoscopy. If we discover a hearing loss, we can help you find the best hearing aids for your needs. So, give us a call at 610-779-3205 today or find us online for a free hearing screening and start living a fuller, healthier life.