You can end up in the hospital if you don’t correctly manage your hearing loss symptoms. I know that sounds like an exaggeration. Most people think of hearing loss as an inconvenience that makes it hard to hear the TV or what someone is saying at worst
But current research is causing alarm about the long-term health impacts of untreated hearing loss.
How is Your Health Related to Hearing Loss?
Hearing loss doesn’t, at first glance, seem as if it has very much of a relationship with other health concerns. But research carried out by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reveals that over time, hospital visits can increase by as much as 50% for someone with neglected hearing loss. The chance of severe health issues goes up the longer hearing loss goes untreated.
That seems like a strange discovery: what does hearing have to do with your total health? The answer is complicated.
The Connection Between Mental Health And Hearing
Untreated hearing loss has been associated with numerous other health concerns, like:
- Higher instance of depression and anxiety. Basically, the likelihood of depression and anxiety increases with hearing loss and that will bring about health issues both physical and mental.
- You begin to lose your memory. In fact, your odds of developing dementia double with untreated hearing loss.
- Balance problems. Hearing loss can make it more difficult to keep your balance and keep your situational focus.
Hearing Aids: An effective Answer
There’s some good news though. The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School research suggests that up to 75% of the mental decline associated with hearing loss can be halted by one easy solution: wearing a hearing aid.
The health hazards associated with hearing loss can be seriously mitigated by wearing hearing aids. According to the study, patients who used hearing aids for only two weeks saw:
- Improvements in brain function.
- Awareness and balance improvements.
- Reductions in traumatic brain injuries.
Over a period of roughly two decades, Johns Hopkins accumulated and examined data from over 77,000 people. And the conclusion is staggeringly simple: protecting your hearing is crucial to preserving your health. Being sick usually costs money, so caring for your hearing also safeguards your financial well being.
Preserving Your Hearing And Your Health
Hearing loss is not exclusive to getting older but it is a part of it. Because of accidents, disease, and occupational hazards, hearing loss can occur regardless of how old you are.
However, it’s essential to address any hearing loss you might be experiencing. Otherwise, your health could be negatively impacted.
