Hearing loss – it’s generally perceived as a fact of life as we age. Hearing loss is experienced by lots of older Americans and so is tinnitus or a ringing in the ears. But if a condition like this is so accepted, why do so many people won’t admit that they deal with hearing loss?
A new study from Canada posits that over half of all middle aged or older Canadians cope with some type of hearing loss, but that 77% of those people do not document any problems. In the United States, more than 48 million individuals have some kind of hearing loss, but many do not try to deal with it. It’s up for debate whether this denial is deliberate or not, but it’s still true that a substantial number of people allow their loss of hearing to go unchecked – which could result in significant issues later on in life.
Why do Some People Not Recognize They Have Hearing Loss?
That matter is a complex one. Hearing loss is a slow process, and some people may not even notice that they are having a harder time hearing things or comprehending people than they used to. Or, more frequently, they may blame it on something else – the person they’re talking to is mumbling, volumes aren’t turned up loud enough, or there’s too much background interference. hearing loss can be blamed, unfortunately, on a number of things, and having a hearing examination or getting checked out, usually, is not a person’s first reaction.
Conversely, there might be some individuals who know they have hearing loss but won’t admit it. Another study conducted in the United States shows that lots of seniors who have hearing issues flat out deny it. They do everything they can to mask their issue, either they recognize a stigma around hearing loss or because they don’t like to admit to having an issue.
The trouble with both of these scenarios is that by denying or not noticing you have a problem hearing you could actually be negatively impacting your general health.
Untreated Hearing Loss Can Have a Devastating Affect
It’s not only your ears that are affected by loss of hearing – it has been connected to different ailments like anxiety, cognitive decline, and depression, and it can also be a symptom of high blood pressure and heart disease.
Research has revealed that individuals who have addressed their loss of hearing with cognitive therapy, changes of diet and hearing aids have better overall health and longer life spans.
It’s crucial to identify the indications of hearing loss – chronic humming or ringing in the ears, trouble carrying on conversations, needing to turn up the volume of your TV or radio.
What Can You Do to Treat Hearing Loss?
There are several treatment options you can undertake to get your loss of hearing under control. Hearing aids are the type of treatment that is the most common, and you won’t experience the same types of issues that your parents or grandparents did because hearing aid technology has progressed appreciably. Contemporary hearing aids come with Bluetooth functionality so they can connect wirelessly to your smartphone or TV and they have the ability to filter out wind and background noise.
A changes in the way you eat could impact your hearing health if you suffer from anemia. Consuming more foods that are high in iron has been shown to help people fight tinnitus and hearing loss since iron deficiency anemia has been shown to result in loss of hearing.
Having your hearing examined regularly, however, is the most significant thing you can do.
Are you concerned you might have hearing troubles? Schedule an appointment for a hearing exam.