You can wind up in the hospital if you don’t properly treat your hearing loss symptoms. I know that seems like an exaggeration. Most individuals think of hearing loss as an inconvenience that makes it hard to hear the TV or what somebody is saying at worst.
But the long-term health impacts of untreated hearing loss is beginning to get serious attention from researchers.
What Does Hearing Loss Have to do With Your Health?
At first glance, hearing loss doesn’t appear to have that much to do with other health indicators. But research carried out by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests that neglected hearing loss can lead to a 50% increase in hospital visits over time. The longer the hearing loss goes unmanaged, the more severe the health troubles get.
That seems like a strange discovery: how is your overall state of health related to your ability to hear? That question can have a complicated answer.
The Connection Between Mental Health And Hearing
Here are a number of the health problems linked to hearing loss:
- An increase in anxiety and depression. Simply put, untreated hearing loss can increase depression and anxiety, which will then have a strong negative effect on your physical body, not to mention your mental health.
- Balance balance issues. Hearing loss can make it harder to keep your balance and keep your situational focus.
- Memory can begin failing. As a matter of fact, your odds of getting dementia double with untreated hearing loss.
Hearing Aids: An effective Solution
There’s some good news though. The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School research reveals that up to 75% of hearing loss associated mental decline can be stopped in its tracks by one simple solution: wearing a hearing aid.
The health hazards connected to hearing loss can be seriously reduced by using hearing aids. The following improvements were noted in individuals who used hearing aids for as little as two weeks:
- Traumatic brain injury reductions.
- Brain function improvements.
- Awareness and balance improvements.
Over a period of roughly twenty years, Johns Hopkins collected and analyzed data from more than 77,000 individuals. And a critical part of preserving your health lies in safeguarding your hearing which is a surprising outcome. Being sick usually costs money, so taking care of your hearing also safeguards your financial well being.
Caring For Your Health And Your Hearing
Hearing loss is not exclusive to the aging process but it is a part of it. Hearing loss can develop at any age as a result of occupational hazards, accidents, or diseases.
However, it’s essential to acknowledge any hearing loss you may be experiencing. Otherwise, your health could be negatively impacted.