5 reasons why you should not neglect your hearing loss

It’s common for people to ignore the noticeable decline in their hearing. 

You think that you can manage it by raising the volume on the TV, or asking people to speak louder and repeat themselves. Besides, it’s nice when it’s quiet. 

Treat your hearing loss

The decision to treat or ignore your hearing loss should be taken seriously. Hearing loss can impact your life in different ways, including:

• Mentally
• Physically
• Job and income
• Personal safety
• Personal and social interactions

1. Mental health

Many studies, including one from Johns Hopkins Medicine, has concluded that hearing loss is related to mental decline. This includes a rise in anxiety and depression, a quicker decline in brain function, and dementia. The study by Johns Hopkins Medicine conducted a test on those who have had hearing loss for at least six years. They discovered that the test subjects’ cognitive abilities had declined by 30-40 percent faster than their peers who had healthy hearing abilities.      
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Johns Hopkins researchers believe that it is best to treat your hearing loss as soon as possible. If you wait longer, your brain can undergo irreversible changes.

Another study from 2015 concluded that treating hearing loss with hearing aids will reduce risks of serious, long-term cognitive decline.

2. Physical health

The National Council on Aging has released a statement noting that falls are the top cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for elderly Americans. It is uncertain as to how many falls are related to hearing loss every year, but researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine discovered that those who suffer from hearing loss are three times more likely to fall than those who do not wear hearing aids. 

Hearing loss may decrease a person’s awareness of their surroundings, which raises the possibility of falling or tripping.   

A recent study from Washington University School of Medicine, revealed that improving hearing with the use of hearing aids can improve balance in older adults who have hearing loss. This can help to reduce the chances of falling. These results are attributed to being more alert and improving balance.  

3. Income and Employment

Disregarding your hearing health can have a negative impact on your job performance. Better Hearing Institute conducted a study that indicated how those who do not get treatment for their hearing loss can lose up to $30,000 each year, and were twice as likely to be unemployed than those who have healthy hearing abilities or wore hearing aids.

This same study revealed that those who used hearing aids lowered their risk of income loss by 90 to 100 percent. Most hearing aid users stated that wearing hearing aids improved their job performance.  

4. Personal Safety

Missed or misheard signals such as alarms, car horns or other warning sounds can endanger  your safety or the safety of your loved ones. It’s important to know if your child or grandchild is upset and crying. 
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If you are hard of hearing, wearing hearing aids can improve how aware you are of your surroundings. You can recognize warning sounds from smoke detectors, ambulances, emergency alerts and distress calls.  

5. Relationships and Social Settings

Hearing loss that goes untreated can lead to social isolation, due to the difficulties of listening and feeling left out. This usually causes people to become withdrawn from their family, friends and other activities that they used to enjoy.

This is significant. Social isolation has been tied to depression, exhaustion, illness, and a shorter life-span.      

Getting your hearing loss treated allows you to not only hear better, but you will also be able to participate in life again. You can enjoy the people and activities that you love.

Stop missing out on life. If you or a loved one are experiencing hearing loss, please contact us at Pure Sound Hearing Aids for a free hearing test and consultation. We offer a variety of hearing aid solutions for a wide range of hearing loss.

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