Although there are many adverse effects of untreated hearing loss, the good news is that you can do something about it.
Untreated hearing loss has been shown to have links to Alzheimer's, Dementia, cognitive decline, increased risk of falling, adverse social effects as well as many other conditions. Doing something about hearing loss isn’t just important for better hearing health, but overall health as well.
Studies show hearing loss can have an impact on a variety of social aspects such as isolation, withdrawal, anxiety, depression, and social avoidance. This is because those who suffer from hearing loss are more likely to retreat from social activities.
Social Benefits
Communication is critically important in our day-to-day lives. It helps us feel connected, and build relationships with the people that we care about. In most cases, hearing loss has a significant negative impact on communication.
Studies show hearing loss can have an impact on a variety of social aspects such as isolation, withdrawal, anxiety, depression, and social avoidance. This is because those who suffer from hearing loss tend to retreat from social activities.
By having your hearing tested, and looking at possible options to assist your hearing loss, many regain the ability to communicate effectively with those closest to you. This enables the confidence to go into almost any social situation and thrive.
Economic Benefits
Oftentimes, today’s jobs demand employees to work together in close-knit teams towards a common goal. It is for this reason communication is still paramount. When an individual finds it hard to maintain this level of contact whether face-to-face or by telephone or computer, a breakdown in communication arises and the quality of work decreases, which lowers the value of the work.
This means that those with hearing loss are at a huge disadvantage in the workplace and their work can become lower in quality. A recent study found that those with mild levels of hearing loss earned the same as those with regular hearing. But the higher the degree of hearing loss, the more the average salary falls. Those with severe hearing loss can expect to earn $30,000 less annually than those with regular hearing.
There is hope. The same study found that treating hearing loss can mitigate these negative effects almost entirely, restoring the earning power of a person with hearing loss back up to the level of their regular hearing peers.
Cognitive Health
Some recent studies have correlated untreated hearing loss with an increased risk of progressive cognitive decline, brain atrophy, and dementia. The good news is that wearing hearing aids will help to minimize accelerated brain atrophy while improving the ability to hear. Treating hearing loss this way can slow down the deterioration in cognition and memory problems that are already associated with aging.
Physical Health
Research has found that individuals with even mild hearing loss are three times more inclined than those without hearing loss to suffer from accidental falls. For those wearing hearing aids, this risk can be significantly reduced. However, wearing hearing aids decrease the risk of falling as they improve the balance of those with hearing loss, according to a study by the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Why Wait?
Procrastinating with hearing loss care can be a cause for major problems, treating your hearing loss can help to improve your hearing health, overall health and quality of life. Thankfully, with hearing aids tailored for every lifestyle and degree of hearing loss, managing hearing loss is simpler than ever.
At Plattsburgh Hearing, we will help you to find the best hearing solution for your needs. We put your hearing safety first, ranging from extensive hearing screening to a full spectrum of innovative hearing care solutions.