If you’re not treating your symptoms properly, hearing loss can put you in the hospital. I know that seems like an exaggeration. We usually consider hearing loss as not much more than a hassle – something that makes the news a little tougher to hear or, at worst, makes you unknowingly agree to something you didn’t mean.
But the long-term health impacts of neglected hearing loss is beginning to get serious attention from researchers.
How is Your Health Linked to Hearing Loss?
At first glance, hearing loss doesn’t appear to have much to do with other health indicators. But research carried out by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health indicates that over time, visits to the hospital can increase by up to 50% for somebody with neglected hearing loss. The danger of serious health problems rises the longer hearing loss remains untreated.
That seems like a curious finding: what does hearing have to do with your general health? That question can have a complicated answer.
The Connection Between Mental Health And Hearing
Untreated hearing loss has been connected with numerous other health problems, like:
- An increase in anxiety and depression. Basically, the likelihood of depression and anxiety increases with hearing loss and that will lead to health issues both physical and mental.
- You start to lose your memory. As a matter of fact, your odds of developing dementia is twice as high with untreated hearing loss.
- Loss of balance. Hearing loss can make it more difficult to keep your balance and keep your situational awareness.
Hearing Aids: An effective Answer
There’s some good news though. The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School research indicates that up to 75% of the mental decline connected to hearing loss can be halted by one simple solution: using a hearing aid.
Wearing a hearing aid has a powerful impact on mitigating the risks linked to neglected hearing loss. The following improvements were noted in individuals who used hearing aids for as little as two weeks:
- Brain function improvements.
- Balance and awareness improvements.
- Reductions in severe brain injuries.
Over a period of roughly twenty years, Johns Hopkins collected and analyzed data from over 77,000 individuals. And the conclusion is staggeringly simple: safeguarding your hearing is essential to maintaining your health. Taking care of your hearing health also helps your financial well-being, because being sick costs money.
Caring For Your Health And Your Hearing
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 at any age.
However, it’s essential to acknowledge any hearing loss you might be noticing. Otherwise, your health could be negatively impacted.