Have you noticed how many products are marketed to you promising to make you look younger? There’s no doubt our culture values looking youthful, so it’s not surprising that many believe there is stigma around certain conditions associated with being “old,” like hearing loss.
However, with more information available about deafness and hearing loss, in addition to the amazing technological advancement of hearing aids, this stigma will soon be a thing of the past.
Who Has Hearing Loss?
Hearing loss is the third most common physical condition in the U.S., behind only heart disease and arthritis.
It’s true that hearing loss is especially common among the older population. One longitudinal study from 2019 found that nearly 50% of American adults over 60 years old have hearing loss.
But that doesn’t mean it’s not also common among younger people. The Hearing Loss Association of America reports that one in five American teens experiences some degree of hearing loss.
Why People Don’t Seek Treatment
Despite its prevalence, only about one in five people who have hearing loss that would benefit from hearing aids actually seeks treatment. While this may be in part due to the cost of hearing aids, many experts believe that it is the stigma around hearing aids that keep people from getting much-needed treatment.
If you’re putting off treatment because you’re afraid hearing aids will make you look “old,” consider this: What makes you look older, a small, state-of-the-art technological device sitting on your ear or continuing to ask the barista at Tucson Coffee Roasters to repeat herself because you cannot hear them?
Today’s Hearing Aids
Another reason many people don’t get hearing aids is that when they hear the words, they think of the big, bulky devices their parents and grandparents wore.
However, today’s hearing devices are much different. They’re designed with discretion and aesthetics in mind, and they look more like wearable tech than medical devices. In addition, some are designed to be so small they are hardly visible.
You can choose from a variety of styles and colors so your hearing aids either blend in or stand out.
Why Seeking Treatment Is Important
If you have hearing loss, it’s not just your ability to hear and communicate that’s at stake. Untreated hearing loss is associated with social withdrawal, loneliness, depression, anxiety, falls and even cognitive decline.
Hearing aids can improve your health, safety and quality of life.
For more information about hearing aids or to talk to hearing aid experts, call Arizona Hearing Specialists today.