The Hearing Loss Association of America says that about 48 million Americans have hearing loss, making it hard for them to hear. Also, less than 16% of the more than 28 million Americans between the ages of 20 and 69 who could benefit from hearing aids have used them.
It’s not easy to admit that you might have trouble hearing. There is a social stigma attached to hearing loss, hearing aids and devices can make people feel vain, and others and oneself can be ageist about the condition. But the only way to improve hearing health is to deal with hearing loss immediately.
Social advantages of hearing treatment
Hearing aids, cochlear implants, and other devices can help people hear better in many ways, but the social benefits can be the most rewarding. Conversation with friends, family, and coworkers can be fun to catch up on instead of a chore because words or phrases can be misheard and lead to misunderstandings.
Going out with friends and family can also help you get some exercise you wouldn’t get if you stayed home alone. Being active and talking to people often keeps your brain in shape and lowers your depression and mental decline risk.
Cognitive benefits of hearing treatment
As was already said, keeping your hearing in good shape is also good for your mental health. Since the brain is a big part of hearing, getting treatment for hearing loss is essential. If you don’t treat hearing loss, your brain has to work harder. When noise is picked up in the ear canal, it is turned into electrical signals and sent along the auditory nerve. The brain then interprets these signals as sounds.
When hearing loss is not treated, the brain must work harder to fill in the missing information. This can make you feel tired and lethargic and give you migraines. Mental fatigue could be why you are more tired after a busy day at work or with friends. Even if your hearing loss isn’t too bad, your brain may work harder to compensate for it. It might be a good idea to get your hearing checked.
How to get treatment
There are many ways to find a hearing care professional and make an appointment for an exam. You can even find hearing tests online that you can take before going to an audiologist or hearing specialist for a complete test and diagnosis.
An audiologist, a doctor who diagnoses and treats hearing problems, or a board-certified hearing instrument specialist (BC-HIS) can give you the test and talk to you about the results before making any suggestions.
Hearing aid benefits
Hearing aids may be one of the solutions that someone who works in hearing health care might suggest. Hearing aids can help in many ways, significantly since technology has changed over the years and made it possible for different models to do different things.
So that your doctor can find the right hearing aid for you, they will need to know how you live and what you need from a hearing aid. You will have to tell them about your job, social life, hobbies, and other things. Do you live alone, with a big family, or with help? Do you have trouble hearing voices or music with high-pitched sounds? You could probably not use the same hearing aid in these three places. All of this information is important to make sure you get the suitable device and that it can meet your needs.
Treating hearing loss
Acknowledgment can make people do things! When you accept untreated hearing loss, you gain the power to do something about it. Taking care of your hearing health can also help you feel better in other ways. Your mental and social health will improve as you deal with the effects of hearing loss, making it hard for you to do things.
Hearing loss affects more than 48 million people in the United States and 466 million worldwide, making it one of the most common health problems in a given population. Contact us today to set up an appointment. We can help you with your hearing treatment.