For anybody dealing with hearing impairment, the message is straightforward: Get a hearing aid.
Why? A recent study revealed that people were less likely to develop health problems like depression, anxiety, dementia, and dangerous falls if they began wearing hearing aids within three years of being diagnosed with hearing loss. While these health concerns aren’t proven to be prevented by hearing aids, fewer health problems have been linked to their use. The study shows that seniors who use hearing aids had a 13% less likely chance of having a serious fall. They also had an 18% less likely chance of developing dementia and an 11% less likelihood of developing anxiety and depression.
Stop The Excuses
If these numbers seem low to you, it’s essential to remember that your health is at risk, and every little bit counts. Prior research has shown a connection between hearing loss and other significant health problems, but this study verified it’s an ongoing, worsening issue. It’s essential to note that many people diagnosed with hearing loss don’t bother getting hearing aids. Why not? Not having the appropriate insurance to cover some of the costs is a common problem. Even among people with insurance, the expense may seem too high.
Some people actually go in and get fitted but when they get their hearing aid home, it seems like too much hassle to wear them, so they don’t. Most people just turn up the volume to solve the problem and don’t think about hearing loss as much of a problem.
Louder volume on the TV won’t solve the problem, though, and while hearing loss may seem to be an inescapable part of growing older, there is much more to it.
Healthy Hearing is Vital
Hearing is clearly a big part of communication. If your failure to communicate causes you to miss a critical instruction by your physician or direction by a family member, that’s an issue. Consequently, communicating your concerns and symptoms will be difficult.
There are also some less apparent problems connected with inadequate communication. If trying to have a conversation on the phone leaves you feeling embarrassed and frustrated, you might start to lose touch with individuals in your support system. And clearly, your chance of developing dementia is higher if your brain doesn’t receive enough stimulation which occurs when you can’t hear.
The Benefits of Hearing Aids
Getting a hearing aid isn’t all about extreme, long-term concerns. Your long term wellbeing will certainly improve but hearing aids will immediately enhance your quality of life. If you can hear and engage in conversations, it lowers your chances of feeling isolated and lets you partake more completely in your social life. When you can communicate intelligibly with your physician, you can accurately share the health issues you are experiencing and understand your doctor’s treatment plan to reduce your anxiety further.
Do I need hearing aids? The answer is yes if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Background noise makes it difficult to hear when someone is talking to you
- Asking people to repeat themselves frequently
- Keeping away from social situations because you’re afraid you can’t follow conversations
- Turning the volume of the TV way up
These and potentially other symptoms could be a signal that it’s time to think about getting a hearing aid. If any of them sound familiar, ask us if a hearing aid may be right for you.