As we get older, loss of hearing is normally looked at as a fact of life. Many older Americans have some form of hearing loss or tinnitus, which is a continuous ringing in the ears. But for such an accepted problem many people still won’t admit they suffer from hearing loss.
A new study from Canada reports that loss of hearing is experienced by more than 50 percent of Canadians, but that 77% of those people don’t document any issues. In the United States, more than 48 million people have some form of hearing loss, but many do not try to deal with it. If this denial is deliberate or not is up for debate, but in either case, loss of hearing is ignored by a substantial number of individuals – which could lead to considerable issues later on in life.
Why is Loss of Hearing Missed by Some people?
It’s a complex question. It’s a gradual process when somebody loses their ability to hear, and trouble comprehending people and hearing things go unnoticed. A lot of times they blame everyone else around them – they believe everyone is mumbling, volumes aren’t turned up loud enough, or background noise is too high. hearing loss can be blamed, unfortunately, on quite a few things, and getting a hearing exam or getting checked out, usually, is not a person’s first reaction.
Conversely, there may be some individuals who know they’re suffering from hearing loss but won’t admit it. Another study conducted in the United States shows that many seniors simply refuse to admit that they have a hearing problem. They mask their problem however they can, either because they don’t want to acknowledge a problem or because of perceived stigmas surrounding hearing loss.
The concern is, you may be negatively influencing your overall health by neglecting your hearing loss.
There Can be Extreme Repercussions From Untreated Hearing Loss
Hearing loss does not just affect your ears – heart disease and high blood pressure have also been connected to hearing loss along with anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline.
Research has revealed that individuals who have managed their loss of hearing with cognitive therapy, changes of diet and hearing aids have better all-around health and longer life expectancy.
It’s important to recognize the signs of hearing loss – persistent humming or ringing in the ears, difficulty carrying on conversations, having to crank up the volume of your radio or TV.
What Can be Done About Hearing Loss?
You can control your hearing loss using a number of treatment options. Hearing aids are the type of treatment that is the most common, and hearing aid tech has developed by leaps and bounds over the past several years so it’s unlikely you’ll have the same problems your parents or grandparents did. Hearing aids can now filter out background noise and wind, while also connecting wirelessly to devices like your radio, TV, or tablet.
A dietary changes could impact your hearing health if you suffer from anemia. Consuming more foods that are high in iron has been shown to help people deal with tinnitus and hearing loss since iron deficiency anemia has been revealed to cause hearing loss.
The foremost thing you can do, though, is to have your hearing tested regularly.
Are you concerned you might have hearing troubles? Come in and get tested.