Did you know hearing loss can have a significant effect on your health and quality of life?
Hearing loss is associated with cognitive impairment and dementia. If hearing loss is left untreated it can lead to: Stress, fatigue and tension; depression or anxiety as well as poor memory and difficulty following directions.
Also surprising to some people, studies have found that hearing loss is also associated with falls. The inner ear is not only responsible for our hearing but also for our balance. These research studies show the greater the hearing loss, the higher the risk for falling. Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among the elderly.
A study in 2009 found a correlation between hearing loss and cardiovascular disease and a study in 2008 found that people with diabetes were more likely to have hearing impairment.
Where is the good news in all this research? The consistent use of hearing aids has been found to improve cognitive abilities and overall sense of well-being.
The important message is that some of the health issues we thought were due to aging may be related to hearing loss and if we start using hearing aids early, we may avoid some of these problems all together!
This is good news since we are all getting older, and we can start getting hearing tests at a younger age and be proactive to protect our hearing.
Once we find we have a hearing loss we need to start using hearing aids to prevent these long-term effects that come from untreated hearing loss.
What should you do to prevent the effects of untreated hearing loss?
One- If you are over age 55 get a hearing test, even just as a baseline for future reference. If slight or mild hearing loss is detected, repeat the test every 1- 2 years to monitor.
Two- If the hearing test indicates hearing loss, don’t wait to get started with hearing aids. The time it takes for people to accept hearing loss and get help has been researched as well. According to an article in Hearing Review, the average person waits up to 7-10 years before getting hearing help.
Three- Once you are fitted with hearing aids, wear them consistently. They won’t help you hear better or lessen the effects on your health if they are sitting in a drawer.
Call to schedule your own, in home hearing test. Or if you have questions call me at 239-777-2089.
My New Years wish for you and your loved ones is to have a happy, healthy new year! Contact me if you would like to Hear Better, and Feel Better in 2022.
The following links were used to create this article. Feel free to look at these articles for yourself.
Sources for this article
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/hearing_loss_and_dementia_linked_in_study
The University of Maryland Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, 2018 Clinical Neurophysiology and Neuropsychologia.
The University of Melbourne 2020
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-hidden-risks-of-hearing-loss
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