It really does not take much work to convince yourself a problem will just go away on its own. But what if I told you that ignoring your hearing loss can do more than just prevent you from hearing a knock on the door or the ring of the telephone?
I have good news. For most, their hearing loss can be treated with the use of a hearing aid. And with a better ability to hear the world around you also comes a number of positive outcomes.
Below are the most positive results your Tucson, Arizona audiologist sees patients experience when they use hearing aids as a treatment for their hearing loss.
Improved Emotional Well-Being
Those who treat their hearing loss have been shown to have a higher quality of life and self-esteem than those who choose not to seek treatment.
A lot of this is due to the fact that having untreated hearing loss naturally causes you to rely more on others for basic things. Treating your hearing loss with a hearing aid helps you overcome this reliance. It can also lead to reduced periods of social isolation as well as longer-lasting and healthier relationships.
Improved General Health
Those who treat their hearing loss see a decrease in their feelings of:
- Depression
- Anger
- Anxiety
They also see an improvement in their sense of balance, which is important since hearing loss has been linked to a three-fold risk of falling. The danger of falls should not be taken lightly as they are the leading cause of fatal injuries and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults.
Patients who choose not to seek treatment for their hearing loss are at a higher risk of cognitive decline.
Improved Professional Success
This is important as 60 percent of those with hearing loss in Tucson and throughout the country are below retirement age.
Untreated hearing loss can often make it hard to concentrate, especially when communicating with others. This can lead to reduced job performance and less monetary compensation (A study found that people with hearing loss may earn as much as $30,000 less per year over the course of their career).
The Better Hearing Institute (BHI) came out with a study that provides new evidence about the importance of hearing aids.
A total of 2,000 patients with hearing loss were surveyed for this study. Of those surveyed, 82 percent indicated they would recommend hearing aids to their friends and 70 percent reported that their ability to communicate had improved.
The study also concluded up to a third of patients saw improvements in their:
- Romance
- Sense of humor
- Mental health
- Emotional health
- Physical health
- Sense of safety
- Self-confidence
- Feelings about self
- Sense of independence
- Work relationships
So I ask you – if simply scheduling a visit with your Tucson audiologist could start you down the path toward these benefits, would you do it?
Contact your Tucson audiologist today to get started.