The Benefits of Treating Hearing Loss

Even though hearing loss is a common condition among older Americans (one in three people, age 65 and older), it takes an average of seven years before people seek treatment.

Hearing loss may have taken a toll on a person’s health and relationships by this time. Hearing loss is an invisible condition because its effects are not physically evident. Still, the early identification and treatment of hearing loss with hearing aids bring many palpable benefits to a person’s life.

Connection with Your Loved Ones

Communication is critical to maintaining healthy relationships with spouses, partners, family members, friends, and colleagues—most people who experience hearing loss first notice difficulty understanding speech in loud settings.

To constantly ask loved ones to repeat themselves may cause friction and frustration. In some cases, the degree of hearing loss makes it difficult for people to hear higher-frequency voices (especially that of women and children). Treating hearing loss opens up clear communication channels and drastically improves our most important relationships. Many hearing aid brands offer technology to connect to iPhones, allowing us to stay in touch easily with our loved ones.

Hearing loss has long been linked to increased stress, anxiety, and depression. People with untreated hearing loss are more likely to avoid social engagements and interactions due to difficulty with communication.

Speech recognition is a hurdle for people with untreated hearing loss. As a result, people are likely to withdraw from interpersonal relationships, leading to a sense of isolation. In older adults especially, this isolation from loved ones is linked to higher rates of depression.

By treating hearing loss as early as possible, we can better maintain the interpersonal relationships that make our lives rich and joyful.

Higher Earning Power

Of the 48 million Americans experiencing hearing loss, an estimated 60% are in the workforce.

In an analysis of income levels of people with hearing loss (both treated and untreated) of equal employment, marital status, age, gender, and lifestyle, it was found that “people with moderate to profound hearing loss, who did not use hearing aids, experienced household incomes $5,000 to $6,000 less than their counterparts who did use hearing aids.” Treating hearing loss, regardless of the degree, benefits one’s professional life.

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Keep Yourself Safe From Falls

Hearing is a sense developed from early human evolution to increase our chances of survival.

Depending on the hearing loss level, people may be unable to hear fire alarms, bells at railroad crossings, storm warnings, car horns, doorbells, or a ringing phone. These instructive and informative sounds keep us safe as we go through the hustle and bustle of life. We are more likely to hear these alerts and stay safe with a hearing aid. Additionally, a hearing aid makes people more confident to make their way without assistance, allowing for a sense of independence.

Studies have found untreated hearing loss increases the risk of accidents and falls. Our auditory system embodies the systems that maintain our balance and give us a sense of our spatial surroundings. For example, a study from Johns Hopkins University revealed that people with mild hearing loss were three times more likely to have a history of falling and an increased hospitalization rate.

Even more, untreated hearing loss leads to safety issues. Imagine crossing the street and not hearing the blare of an oncoming vehicle. Treating hearing loss helps maintain our safety and security.

Overall Health & Well-Being

Frequently, hearing loss is linked to other medical conditions.

If you have been battling cancer and find that your hearing abilities have changed, this may indicate the side effects of your chemotherapy medication. Other medication classes, such as certain antibiotics and diuretics, also harm our hearing. For example, addressing hearing loss may involve changing medication to avoid further damage.

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Support Your Cognitive Abilities

Hearing happens in the brain. Our brains receive neural signals that have been translated from sound waves by our inner ear.

With untreated hearing loss, sonic signals become cluttered and difficult to solve and thus leading to a deterioration of our neural pathways.

Additionally, studies have linked an increased risk of dementia to hearing loss, as the hearing loss has detrimental effects on the brain’s cognitive abilities. When the brain struggles to hear, there is an increased cognitive load, which tires out the brain. For example, a 2011 study in Japan found that people who treated their hearing loss early on with a hearing aid had better cognitive function than counterparts who did not use a hearing aid.

Treating Hearing Loss with Digital Hearing Lab

By treating hearing loss, you are less likely to feel isolated socially and more likely to continue pursuing the activities and hobbies you enjoyed before hearing loss. Treating hearing loss keeps you connected to your friends and the communities you are part of.

Moreover, because hearing is related to balance, studies have found that treating hearing loss significantly reduces the number of falls. Additionally, there are many hearing aids available today that have wireless options to keep us connected to the world around us. Hearing aids fitted with a telecoil allow us to loop into hearing systems at public venues and spaces. At the same time, many cinemas and theaters offer assisted listening devices to make performances more accessible. Treating hearing loss has an overall positive, healthy impact on your life.

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Reconnect to the sounds of your life and hear what you’ve been missing!

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The Benefits of Treating Hearing Loss

Even though hearing loss is a common condition among older Americans (one in three people, age 65 and older), it takes an average of seven years before people seek treatment.

Connection with Your Loved Ones

Higher Earning Power

Keep Yourself Safe From Falls

Overall Health & Well-Being

Support Your Cognitive Abilities

Treating Hearing Loss with Digital Hearing Lab

Reconnect to the sounds of your life and hear what you’ve been missing!

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Clermont, FL

Kissimmee, FL

Lady Lake, FL