If you’re not managing your symptoms properly, hearing loss can hospitalize you. You might think that this is somewhat of an exaggeration. Most people think of hearing loss as an inconvenience that makes it difficult to hear the TV or what somebody is saying at worst
But new research is ringing alarm bells about the long-term health effects of neglected hearing loss.
What Does Hearing Loss Have to do With Your Health?
At first sight, hearing loss doesn’t seem 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 untreated hearing loss can result in a 50% increase in visits to the hospital over time. The danger of serious health problems rises the longer hearing loss remains untreated.
That’s a curious finding: how is your total state of health linked 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 concerns linked to hearing loss:
- Higher instance of anxiety and depression. Simply stated, neglected hearing loss can increase depression and anxiety, which will then have a powerfully negative impact on your physical body, to say nothing of your mental health.
- You start to lose your memory. As a matter of fact, your odds of getting dementia double with untreated hearing loss.
- Loss of balance. Hearing loss can make it more difficult to keep your balance and maintain situational focus.
Hearing Aids: An effective Solution
It’s not all doom and gloom, however. Far from it. The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School research reveals that up to 75% of the mental decline associated with hearing loss can be halted by one basic solution: using a hearing aid.
Wearing a hearing aid has a profound impact on putting an end to the risks associated with untreated hearing loss. According to the study, patients who used hearing aids for just two weeks saw:
- Improvements in awareness and balance.
- Severe brain injury reductions.
- Improvements in brain function.
Over a period of roughly two decades, Johns Hopkins collected and analyzed data from over 77,000 people. And the conclusion is staggeringly simple: safeguarding your hearing is essential to maintaining your health. Being sick can be costly, so taking care of your hearing also protects your financial well being.
Preserving Your Hearing And Your Health
Hearing loss is not exclusive to the aging process but it is a part of it. Due to accidents, occupational hazards, and disease, hearing loss can happen at any age.
However, it’s important to acknowledge any hearing loss you might be noticing. Otherwise, your health could be negatively impacted.