The Health Effects of Hearing Loss<\/h2>\n
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Despite the serious side effects associated with hearing impairment<\/a>, many people do not seek treatment\u2014or they wait until their condition has progressed to a point where medical intervention is less successful. <\/p>\n Studies show that only one out of five people with hearing loss in Tucson wears hearing aids. <\/p>\n Nationwide, there are around 23 million adults with an untreated hearing loss.<\/strong> <\/p>\n According to an article in article<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0JAMA Otolaryngology \u2014 Head and Neck Surgery, <\/em>\u00a0over a 10-year period these individuals face increased health risks such as:<\/p>\n There are various reasons for not scheduling an appointment with an audiologist. <\/p>\n For starters, many of these people aren\u2019t even aware of their impairment; hearing loss usually develops very slowly, making it difficult to notice a problem\u2014especially since the brain helps fill in the missing gaps by diverting resources from other key cognitive areas, such as memory and concentration. <\/p>\n Those who are aware of a decline in hearing might worry over the perceived stigma associated with wearing hearing aids; many believe these devices will make them look older or more frail. Others are worried about the costs associated with treatment\u2014many health plans, including Medicare, won\u2019t cover hearing aids<\/a>. Some people don\u2019t think hearing aids will make much of a difference even if they can afford to pay for them. There\u2019s an attitude sometimes that hearing loss is simply an inevitable part of aging.<\/p>\n Some of these concerns are more valid than others, but regardless of the reasons, ignoring hearing loss is an invitation to trouble. <\/p>\n People with hearing loss often find it physically and mentally exhausting to follow along with conversations; this prompts many to withdraw from social situations, leading to isolation and loneliness. <\/p>\n A Dutch study<\/a> found that for people under the age of 70, every decibel drop in perception increases their odds of severe loneliness by seven percent.<\/p>\n As hearing loss worsens, loneliness becomes more pronounced. This leads to a domino effect of health problems including stress, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. <\/p>\n Experts consider the dangers of social isolation to be equivalent to smoking<\/a> 15 cigarettes a day.<\/span> <\/p>\n Your risk of dementia rises by 40 percent and your chances of premature death are 26 percent higher, according to recent studies.<\/p>\n Scientists know that loneliness leads to an increase in stress hormones and inflammation, both of which are risk factors for dementia. <\/p>\n Social isolation leads to a decline in brain stimulation, which can hasten the onset of cognitive decline. <\/p>\n Researchers at Johns Hopkins University began a randomized controlled trial in 2018<\/a> that aims to determine whether hearing loss treatment can prevent or delay cognitive decline and curb loneliness. This large-scale study will run until 2022 and it is hoped the results will lead to new strategies for treating patients with hearing loss in Arizona and across the country.<\/p>\n Your Tucson audiologist strongly urges you to schedule an appointment if you are experiencing signs of hearing loss. <\/p>\n Hearing aids have come a long way over the years and today\u2019s devices are smaller, more comfortable and offer much better sound quality than those available even a decade ago. Contact an audiologist<\/a> as soon as possible to help ensure you lead an active, fulfilled life well into your golden years!<\/p>\n\n
Why do people avoid scheduling an appointment with an audiologist?<\/h3>\n
Hearing aids can protect against the hidden damage of hearing loss<\/h2>\n
How to hearing loss symptoms progress?<\/h3>\n
How are hearing loss, lonliness, and dementia related?<\/h2>\n
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