Individuals with hearing loss in Tucson already have a disadvantage when it comes to many aspects of daily life. Communication is difficult and social outings can be stressful. While hearing aids are a proven solution, some people resist treatment. If you have been diagnosed with hearing loss but haven’t yet invested in hearing aids, you might want to consider: studies show that hearing aids can help you live longer!
Why Wear Hearing Aids?
Hearing aids are the single most effective solution for hearing loss. Nine out of 10 people with a hearing impairment in Tucson will benefit from wearing them!
Yet some people avoid seeking treatment for a variety of reasons: they feel hearing aids won’t really make a difference or will make them look older.
The fact is, hearing aids won’t only improve your quality of life dramatically, they may actually help extend it.
And if you’re worried that they will make you look old, constantly asking others to repeat themselves and blasting the volume when watching television doesn’t exactly scream “spring chicken!”
Hearing aids help you live a longer, fuller life in many ways, including the following:
- Improved balance. A hearing impairment forces your brain to work harder in order to process sound. In order to do so, it must reroute cognitive resources from other areas, such as the balance system. Falls are a leading cause of injury and death in the elderly, so when your brain is working hard to hear, your risk of falling increases. You are three times more likely to fall when you have mild hearing loss, and those odds go up if your impairment is moderate or severe. Hearing aids help your brain focus less on hearing and more on other essential functions, such as balance.
- Better response in emergencies. Hearing loss tends to affect high frequencies more than others. This can prevent you from hearing high-pitched sounds such as police and fire engine sirens, smoke detectors, car horns and other sounds meant to alert you to dangerous situations. Hearing aids programmed to your specific hearing loss will ensure you are able to hear sounds of all frequencies.
- Lower risk of depression. There is a strong correlation between hearing loss and feelings of sadness and depression, especially in older adults. Research by the National Council on Aging found that hearing aids can reduce your risk of depression by at least 8 percent.
- Increased social interaction. Many people with hearing loss experience social withdrawal and isolation, choosing to avoid situations that cause hearing strain and fatigue – even those activities that once brought joy and pleasure. Loneliness and isolation have been linked to higher mortality rates. Because your brain doesn’t have to work as hard when you wear hearing aids, you’ll have a renewed appreciation for social outings, which can statistically lower your risk of premature death.
- Less cognitive decline. When your brain is working hard to hear, there are fewer resources available for other important functions, such as memory and cognition. Untreated hearing loss has been linked to memory loss and depression and may increase the likelihood that you’ll develop Alzheimer’s disease. Hearing aids allow your brain to focus on these key areas, decreasing your odds of cognitive decline.
Hopefully, we’ve convinced anybody still on the fence about wearing hearing aids to give them a try! For more information, schedule an appointment with a Tucson audiologist today.