As we get older, hearing loss is typically considered an inescapable fact of life. Many older Americans suffer from some form of hearing loss or tinnitus, which is a constant ringing in the ears. But if a condition like this is so accepted, why do so many people won’t admit that they have loss of hearing?
A new study from Canada posits that more than 50 percent of all Canadians middle-aged and older suffer from some form of hearing loss, but that 77% of those people do not document any concerns. In the US, over 48 million individuals have some sort of hearing loss, but many do not try to do anything about it. Whether this denial is deliberate or not is debatable, but in either case, loss of hearing is ignored by a substantial number of individuals – which, down the road, could bring about considerable problems.
Why is Loss of Hearing Not Recognized by Some people?
That matter is a complex one. It’s a gradual process when a person loses their ability to hear, and some people might not notice that they have a harder time hearing things or understanding people than they once did. Or, more commonly, they could blame it on something else – they believe that everyone 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 getting a hearing examination or getting checked out, usually, is not a person’s first instinct.
Conversely, there might be some individuals who know they’re suffering from hearing loss but won’t accept it. Another study conducted in the United States shows that many seniors who have hearing issues flat out deny it. They do what they can to hide their problem, either they recognize a stigma surrounding hearing loss or because they don’t want to admit to having a problem.
The problem is, you might be negatively influencing your overall health by neglecting your hearing loss.
There Can be Serious Repercussions From Untreated Hearing Loss
It’s not only your ears that are impacted by hearing loss – high blood pressure and heart disease have also been associated with hearing loss and also anxiety, depression, and mental decline.
Research has shown that individuals who have addressed their hearing loss with cognitive therapy, changes of diet and hearing aids have better overall health and longer life expectancy.
It’s important to identify the indications of hearing loss – difficulty having conversations, turning up the volume on the TV and radio, or a lingering humming or ringing in your ears.
How Can You Treat Hearing Loss?
There are several treatments you can undertake to get your loss of hearing under control. Hearing aids are the most prevalent form of treatment, and hearing aid technology has developed by leaps and bounds over the past few years so it’s not likely you’ll encounter the same problems your parents or grandparents did. Modern hearing aids have Bluetooth connectivity 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 might also have a beneficial impact on your hearing health if you have anemia. Since anemia iron deficiency has been revealed to cause loss of hearing, people who have tinnitus can be helped by consuming foods that are high in iron.
The foremost thing you can do, however, is to get your hearing assessed routinely.
Are you worried you may have hearing issues? Schedule an appointment for a hearing examination.