If you’re not treating your symptoms correctly, hearing loss can put you in the hospital. You may think that this is a bit of an exaggeration. Most individuals think of hearing loss as an inconvenience that makes it difficult to hear the TV or what someone is saying at worst
But current research is causing alarm over the long-term health effects of neglected hearing loss.
How is Your Health Linked to Hearing Loss?
Hearing loss doesn’t, at first glance, seem as if it has much of a relationship with other health concerns. But research conducted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reveals that over time, visits to the hospital can increase by as much as 50% for somebody with neglected hearing loss. The longer the hearing loss goes unmanaged, the more severe the health havoc becomes.
That’s a puzzling finding: what does hearing have to do with your total health? The answer is challenging.
Hearing Health And Mental Health
Here are a few of the health problems connected to hearing loss:
- An increase in anxiety and depression. Simply stated, neglected hearing loss can increase depression and anxiety, which will then have a powerfully negative effect on your physical body, not to mention your mental health.
- You begin to lose your memory. In fact, your odds of getting dementia double with untreated hearing loss.
- Loss of balance. Hearing loss can make it harder to keep your balance and maintain situational awareness.
Hearing Aids Really Help
It’s not all doom and gloom, however. Far from it. The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School research suggests that up to 75% of the cognitive decline associated with hearing loss can be halted by one easy solution: using a hearing aid.
Wearing a hearing aid has a powerful impact on mitigating the risks associated with untreated hearing loss. The following improvements were revealed in individuals who used hearing aids for as little as two weeks:
- Brain function improvements.
- Reductions in severe brain injuries.
- Improvements in balance and awareness.
Over a period of roughly two decades, Johns Hopkins collected and analyzed data from over 77,000 individuals. And a crucial part of maintaining your health lies in safeguarding your hearing which is a staggering outcome. Taking care of your hearing health also benefits your financial well-being, because being sick costs money.
Preserving Your Hearing And Your Health
Hearing loss is not exclusive to getting older but it is a part of it. Due to accidents, occupational hazards, and disease, hearing loss can occur at any age.
However, it’s essential to acknowledge any hearing loss you might be noticing. Your health could depend on it.