October is Audiology Awareness Month! Did you know there’s no better time to care for your hearing health than right now? If you’re still on the fence about seeking treatment, we’ve outlined several reasons you should reach out to an audiologist.
1. Wearing Hearing Aids Is a Natural as Wearing Glasses
For some reason, many people who already wear glasses say that wearing hearing aids will make them look “old.” This simply isn’t true. Bad vision and hearing loss are both sensory deficits, and both conditions affect people of all ages. Besides, hearing aids are far more discreet than a pair of glasses.
2. Untreated Hearing Loss Affects Cognitive Abilities
According to an analysis published by The Lancet, hearing loss is one of the major modifiable risk factors for developing dementia. This means treating hearing loss can help delay a dementia diagnosis, which is supported by a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in 2019.
3. Untreated Hearing Loss Puts You at Risk of Accidental Injury
Studies also show that hearing loss puts you at an increased risk of an accidental injury, including falls. One study published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in 2018 found that those who reported “a little trouble hearing” were 60% more likely to have experienced an injury than those with normal hearing, those with “moderate trouble” were 70% more likely and those with “a lot of trouble” were 90% more likely.
4. Hearing Loss Impacts Your Relationships & Social Life
Any couples counselor will tell you that communication is key to a healthy relationship. When you can’t hear well, your relationships will be impacted because of the communication barrier. In addition, hearing loss can cause anxiety about mishearing and responding inappropriately to a conversation partner. This can ultimately lead to social withdrawal from activities you once enjoyed, like yoga at Yoga St. Louis and feelings of isolation, well-known risk factors for depression.
5. Today’s Hearing Aids Are Better than Ever
Many people are resistant to hearing aids because they picture the clunky devices their parents and grandparents wore. However, today’s hearing aids are built to be small, sleek and discreet, and they boast amazing features like rechargeability, Bluetooth compatibility, smartphone connectivity, automatic programming, background noise reduction and more.
For more information or to schedule an appointment with an expert audiologist, call the Center for Hearing & Speech today.
