You can wind up in the hospital if you don’t properly manage your hearing loss symptoms. I know that sounds like 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 effects of neglected hearing loss is beginning to get significant attention from researchers.
What Does Hearing Loss Have to do With Your Health?
At first glance, hearing loss doesn’t seem to have much to do with other health concerns. But research carried out by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reveals that over time, hospital visits can increase by as much as 50% for someone with untreated hearing loss. The chance of severe health problems rises the longer hearing loss remains untreated.
That seems like a strange finding: what does hearing have to do with your general health? The answer is challenging.
Hearing Health And Mental Health
Untreated hearing loss has been linked to several other health issues, including:
- Balance balance issues. Hearing loss can make it harder to keep your balance and maintain situational awareness.
- You begin to lose your memory. As a matter of fact, your odds of getting dementia double with neglected hearing loss.
- An increase in depression and anxiety. Simply stated, untreated hearing loss can increase depression and anxiety, which will then have a powerfully negative effect on your physical body, to say nothing of your mental health.
Hearing Aids Really Help
It’s not all gloom and doom, though. Far from it. The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School research indicates that up to 75% of the mental decline linked to hearing loss can be stopped in its tracks by one basic solution: using a hearing aid.
Wearing a hearing aid has a profound impact on eliminating the dangers connected to untreated hearing loss. According to the study, people who used hearing aids for just two weeks saw:
- Improvements in brain function.
- Traumatic brain injury reductions.
- Improvements in balance and awareness.
The researchers from Johns Hopkins studied data from 77,000 patients accumulated over roughly two decades. And an essential part of preserving your health lies in safeguarding your hearing which is a staggering outcome. Being sick usually costs money, so caring for your hearing also protects your financial well being.
Preserving Your Hearing And Your Health
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 regardless of how old you are.
However or whenever you lose your hearing, it’s extremely important to have it checked. Otherwise, your health could be negatively impacted.