Woman enjoying better mental health after getting hearing aids.

About 28 million people could be helped by using hearing aids. What this means is that 28 million people would here their world clearer if they wore hearing aids. But your hearing aids will also help you enjoy some other health benefits.

It turns out that something as simple as using your hearing aids could be good for your physical and mental health. Everything from depression to a risk of falling can be delayed or even stopped by these devices. In many ways, your hearing aids can help you stay on your feet.

Hearing Aids And Mental Health Benefits

The link between untreated hearing loss and mental decline is fairly well established by modern medical research. Currently, the thinking is that, for a combination of social, mental, and physical reasons, hearing loss can bring about an increased danger of mental illness, such as anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, and dementia.

So the mental health advantages of hearing aids shouldn’t be all that unexpected.

Dementia Risks Reduced

Your risk of dementia can be decreased, as reported by one study, by nearly 20%. That’s a wonderful benefit when the only thing you have to do is remember to wear your hearing aids on a daily basis.

In other research, the onset of dementia was slowed by as much as two years by wearing hearing aids. Further research has to be conducted to help explain and replicate these results, but it’s certainly encouraging.

Reduce Anxiety And Depression

Many people suffer from depression and anxiety even if hearing loss is not a problem for them. But there is enough evidence to suggest that those who have hearing loss are at increased risk of developing both anxiety and depression as time passes.

Wearing your hearing aids can help keep you socially active and mentally connected. Hearing aids can be particularly helpful if those factors are contributing to depression and anxiety.

You’ll be Less Lonely

While dementia may sound much more severe, for people with neglected hearing loss, loneliness can be a serious issue, social solitude often being the cause and worsening symptoms. Your overall mood can be considerably influenced by social separation. So being able to remain social and connected with help from your hearing aid can be a huge benefit.

To be certain, this ties together with your hearing aids’ ability to decrease the risks of depression, for example. To a certain degree, all of these health problems are linked in some way.

Hearing Aids And Physical Advantages

There’s some evidence which suggests that as hearing loss symptoms become more apparent, your risk of stroke escalates. But these studies are in preliminary stages. It’s a little easier to recognize the more obvious physical advantage of hearing aids: you won’t fall as much.

This happens for two reasons:

  • Fall detection: Frequently, it’s getting back up after a fall that is the significant danger, not the fall itself. Fall detection is a built-in feature of many newer hearing aid designs. With specific settings enabled, when you have a fall, a call will automatically be made to one of your pre-programmed emergency contacts so they know to check up on you.
  • Situational awareness: This means you’ll be more capable of avoiding obstacles that might cause a fall.

Falling can have fairly substantial health impacts, particularly as you get older. So your general health can be protected by decreasing damage from falls or preventing them altogether.

Wear Your Hearing Aids Everyday

It’s worth noting that all of these advantages apply to those who have hearing conditions. If your hearing is healthy, then wearing a hearing aid will likely not reduce your risk of dementia, for example.

But using your hearing aids, if you do have hearing loss, is the best thing you can do for overall health.

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The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.