Hearing loss – it’s usually perceived as a fact of life as we get older. Hearing loss is experienced by lots of older Americans as is tinnitus or a ringing in the ears. But if it’s such an accepted condition, why is it that so many people deny that they deal with hearing loss?
A new study from Canada suggests that over 50 percent of all Canadians middle-aged and older cope with some kind of loss of hearing, but no issues were reported at all by over 77% percent of those. In the US, over 48 million people have some type of hearing loss, but many do not try to do anything about it. If this denial is on purpose or not is debatable, but it’s still true that a significant number of individuals let their hearing loss go unchecked – which, later on, could cause substantial problems.
Why do Some Individuals Not Know They Suffer From Loss of Hearing?
It’s a tricky matter. It’s a slow process when somebody loses their hearing, and trouble understanding people and hearing things go undetected. Or, more commonly, they may blame it on something else – they think everyone is mumbling, volumes aren’t turned up loud enough, or background noise is too high. There are, unfortunately, quite a few things that hearing loss can be blamed on, and having a hearing examination or getting checked out, usually, is not a person’s first instinct.
It also happens that some people just won’t acknowledge that they have hearing loss. Another study conducted in the United States shows that lots of seniors simply refuse to admit that they are suffering from a hearing problem. They do everything they can to mask their problem, either they recognize a stigma surrounding hearing loss or because they don’t like to admit to having an issue.
The difficulty is, you might be negatively affecting your general health by neglecting your hearing loss.
There Can be Serious Repercussions From Neglected Hearing Loss
It’s not only your ears that are affected by loss of hearing – high blood pressure and heart disease have also been linked to hearing loss as well as anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline.
Research has revealed that individuals who have addressed their hearing loss with cognitive therapy, changes of diet and hearing aids have better general health and longer life spans.
It’s necessary to acknowledge the signs of hearing loss – difficulty having conversations, cranking up the volume on the TV and radio, or a persistent ringing or humming in your ears.
What Can be Done About Loss of Hearing?
You can get your hearing loss under control with several treatment options. Hearing aids are the most prevalent form of treatment, and you won’t experience the same kinds of issues that your grandparents or parents did because hearing aid tech has progressed appreciably. Hearing aids now have the ability to filter out background noise and wind, while also connecting wirelessly to devices like your radio, TV, or tablet.
A dietary changes could affect your hearing health if you have anemia. Eating more foods that are high in iron has been found to help people combat tinnitus and hearing loss since iron deficiency anemia has been revealed to result in loss of hearing.
Having your hearing checked routinely, however, is the most significant thing you can do.
Do you think that might have loss of hearing? Make an appointment to have a hearing test.