Hearing loss – it’s generally perceived as a fact of life as we age. Lots of older Americans suffer from some form of hearing loss or tinnitus, which is a constant ringing in the ears. But if it’s such an accepted condition, why do so many people won’t admit that they suffer from hearing loss?
A new study from Canada reports that loss of hearing is experienced by over half of Canadians, but that 77% of those people do not report any concerns. Some type of hearing loss is experienced by more than 48 million Americans and goes un-addressed. It’s up for debate whether this denial is on purpose or not, but either way, hearing loss is neglected by a substantial number of individuals – which, in the future, could result in considerable issues.
Why is Loss of Hearing Not Recognized by Some people?
That question is a complicated one. It’s a gradual process when somebody loses their hearing, and trouble understanding people and hearing things go unnoticed. A lot of times they blame everyone else around them – the person they’re talking to is mumbling, the TV volume is too low, or background noise is too high. There are, unfortunately, a number of things that hearing loss can be blamed on, and having a hearing test or getting checked out, normally, is not a person’s first reaction.
It also happens that some individuals just won’t accept that they suffer from hearing loss. Another study conducted in the United States shows that lots of seniors flat out deny that they have a hearing problem. They hide their issue however they can, either they recognize a stigma surrounding hearing loss or because they don’t like to admit to having an issue.
The concern is, you could be negatively impacting your general health by neglecting your hearing loss.
Neglected Hearing Loss Can Have a Catastrophic Impact
It’s not just your ears that are impacted by loss of hearing – heart disease and high blood pressure have also been linked to hearing loss along with anxiety, depression, and mental decline.
Research has shown that people who have loss of hearing normally have shorter life expectancy rates and their level of health is not as good as other people who have dealt with their hearing loss using hearing aids, changes in their diet, or cognitive behavioral treatment.
It’s important to acknowledge the signs of hearing loss – difficulty having conversations, turning up the volume on the TV and radio, or a persistent ringing or humming in your ears.
What Can You Do to Manage Hearing Loss?
There are a number of treatment options you can do to get your loss of hearing under control. Hearing aids are the type of treatment that is the most common, and you won’t experience the same types of problems that your parents or grandparents did because hearing aid tech has advanced considerably. Hearing aids can now filter out background noise and wind, while also connecting wirelessly to devices like your TV, tablet, or radio.
A changes in the way you eat might also have a positive impact on your hearing health if you have anemia. Eating more foods that are high in iron has been found to help people combat tinnitus and loss of hearing since iron deficiency anemia has been revealed to lead to hearing loss.
Having your hearing tested routinely, however, is the most significant thing you can do.
Are you worried you might have hearing problems? Make an appointment to have a hearing assessment.