You can end up in the hospital if you don’t correctly manage your hearing loss symptoms. You might think that this is a bit of an exaggeration. Most people think of hearing loss as an inconvenience that makes it hard to hear the TV or what somebody is saying at worst
But the long-term health impacts of untreated hearing loss is beginning to get serious attention from researchers.
How is Your Health Related to Hearing Loss?
At first glance, 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 risk of severe health issues goes up the longer hearing loss remains untreated.
That’s a curious finding: what does hearing have to do with your overall health? That question can have a complicated answer.
The Connection Between Mental Health And Hearing
Here are a few of the health problems connected to hearing loss:
- Loss of balance. Hearing loss can make it harder to keep your balance and maintain situational awareness.
- Memory can begin failing. As a matter of fact, your odds of developing dementia double with neglected hearing loss.
- An increase in anxiety and depression. Basically, the likelihood of anxiety and depression increases with hearing loss and that will lead to health problems both physical and mental.
Hearing Aids: A Real Answer
There’s some good news though. The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School research reveals that up to 75% of hearing loss associated mental decline can be stopped in its tracks by one basic solution: wearing a hearing aid.
Wearing a hearing aid has a profound impact on mitigating an end to the risks associated with untreated hearing loss. According to the study, patients who wore hearing aids for just two weeks saw:
- Brain function improvements.
- Severe brain injury reductions.
- Improvements in balance and awareness.
Over a period of roughly two decades, Johns Hopkins accumulated and analyzed data from over 77,000 people. And what they found is staggeringly simple: safeguarding your hearing is essential to maintaining your health. Taking care of your hearing health also helps your finances, because being sick costs money.
Caring For Your Health And Your Hearing
Hearing loss is not exclusive to getting older but it is a part of it. Because of accidents, occupational hazards, and disease, hearing loss can occur at any age.
However or whenever you lose your hearing, it’s very important to have it checked. Your health could depend on it.