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Acknowledging the Reality of Hearing Loss

Hearing and Speech Connection • October 2, 2022

Hearing loss is one of the most common long-term health problems in the U.S., and it can put you at risk for other serious health problems. Hearing loss can have many harmful effects, but many can be lessened if caught early and treated. Unfortunately, this only happens sometimes. On average, it takes a person seven years from the time they first notice something is wrong with their hearing to get help. This gap must be closed, and people must know how important hearing is to their health.

The slow progression of hearing loss

Most hearing loss happens slowly, which makes it hard to notice and makes it easier to put off getting treatment. People who can’t hear well are sometimes the first to notice their problem.

Family, friends, and coworkers constantly asked to speak up and repeat themselves are often the first to notice that someone has trouble hearing. This is because the body and mind constantly adjust to gradual hearing loss. This makes it hard to find a point when hearing problems go from minor inconvenience to significant disability.

The effects of hearing loss that people don’t understand

Not many people know that as hearing loss worsens over time, it has enormous cognitive and social effects. As our brain tries to make up for lost sound understanding, it changes how we hear. Our minds also have to work hard to figure out what people are saying and to understand the sounds around us in places like busy streets, shops, schools, public transportation, and restaurants.

This cognitive overburden makes people more likely to make mistakes with their memories and coordination. It also makes them more likely to have mental and social problems, like being more likely to feel alone, anxious, or depressed. Also, the longer it takes for someone to get help, the harder it is to retrain the brain to understand speech and process sounds.

When we start treatment early, it takes a massive load off our minds, makes it easier to adjust to hearing loss treatment, and lowers the risk of problems.

How to tell if you need a hearing test

Hearing loss can show up in subtle ways, but if you or someone close to you notices symptoms, it’s probably time to check your hearing. Hearing tests are quick, don’t hurt, and can improve your life.

Keep an eye out for these signs of hearing loss:

  • Voices and speech sounding muffled instead of clear.
  • Turning the volume on TVs, radios, phones, and other devices.
  • Asking people to repeat themselves or speak louder often.
  • Needing help following conversations with more than two people.
  • Staying away from places with a lot of noise, like parties or restaurants, because they make you nervous about your hearing.
  • Having annoying or painful ringing in the ears (tinnitus).

Any of these things are sure signs that something is wrong with your hearing, and you should get it checked out. Even if a problem doesn’t seem necessary, getting help as soon as possible puts you on the right track for keeping track of and managing your hearing health.

Let’s get you back to doing what you love .

Taking care of your hearing has been shown to help you live a fuller, happier life. When we treat hearing loss, we can keep using sound to understand and communicate with the world around us. On the other hand, losing this connection to others makes people with untreated hearing loss more likely to become isolated and develop dementia.

Better communication also helps us at work. On average, people with untreated hearing problems earn $12,000 less than those without hearing problems.

When we can easily hear what’s happening around us, we feel safer and more aware of our surroundings. Our hearing is a big part of our overall health, and when we start caring for it, we protect ourselves from a whole chain of health problems.

Early treatment helps, but it is never too late.

No matter how well you hear, you can start to think about your hearing health. Even though damage to your hearing is almost always permanent, hearing aids and other devices make it easy to treat. Hearing aids have come a long way in the last few decades. They can now help people with everything from mild to severe hearing loss to constant ringing in the ears.

Contact us if you want to set up a hearing test and talk to a hearing specialist. Our well-trained staff is happy to help you get on the path to better hearing.

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