Hearing loss affects every aspect of your life, from talking to the vendors at the farmer’s market on Hillcrest Farmers Market to watching TV at home. But despite its impact, only about one in five people who could benefit from treatment actually wears hearing aids. If you’re on the fence about this decision, below are six benefits that may help sway you to decide to treat your hearing loss.
1. Hearing Aids May Help Prevent a Fall
According to research by Johns Hopkins University, those with mild untreated hearing loss are three times more likely to experience a fall compared to those with normal hearing. For every additional 10 decibels of hearing loss, this risk increases by 1.4-fold.
Fortunately, one study revealed that hearing aids can help you use sound information as auditory reference points to stay balanced.
2. Hearing Aids May Delay a Dementia Diagnosis
Another study by Johns Hopkins found that those with mild hearing loss have two times the risk of developing dementia, those with moderate hearing loss have three times the risk and people with severe hearing loss have five times the risk compared to those with normal hearing.
A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that wearing hearing aids is associated with a delayed diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
3. Hearing Aids Improve Mental Health
Because hearing loss creates a disconnect between you and the world around you, many people with hearing loss become anxious about what they cannot hear and depressed because they cannot enjoy activities they once did.
Multiple studies show that hearing aids can improve mental health, reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
4. Hearing Aids Improve Your Overall Safety
If you cannot hear well, you’re missing out on important alert sounds like smoke detectors and car horns. Hearing aids can keep you aware of your surroundings and prevent an accident.
5. Hearing Aids Improve Your Social Life
Any couples or family counselor will tell you that communication is key to healthy relationships. Wearing hearing aids can boost your ability to keep up with conversations with your friends and family.
6. Today’s Hearing Aids Are Technological Marvels
Today’s hearing aids offer incredible features like discreet designs, Bluetooth connectivity, automatic programming, background noise reduction and more.
For more information about the benefits of hearing aids or to schedule an appointment with a hearing expert, call San Diego ENT today.