Many American adults experience hearing loss at some point, yet only about 20% of people who have hearing damage will address it.
Hearing loss is irreversible, so it is important to stop the development of hearing damage by diagnosing and treating it as early as possible.
How do I know if I have hearing loss?
The easiest way to find out if you have any hearing damage is a visit to your audiologist where you can get an easy, painless hearing evaluation. That will tell you your level of hearing loss and the best way to proceed.
Most people with hearing damage will benefit from hearing aids. Hearing aids are an effective way to reestablish hearing ability. Along with your hearing, you will get back your social life, entertainment enjoyment, stress-free family get-togethers and normal communication.
Don’t wait!
Surveys show that American adults with hearing loss wait 7-10 years before addressing it in any way. That’s too bad, because the earlier hearing damage is diagnosed, the better. Further hearing damage can be stopped and prevented by acting now.
Hearing aid cost can be a deterrent: they are usually not covered by insurance and there is a large out-of-pocket cost. But think of it as an investment: you are investing in your life and your health now, and in the future, you may see this investment was worth the cost.
Here are a few reasons you should consider investing in hearing aids.
Improved hearing can benefit overall health.
Hearing loss correlates with a lot of other health conditions, from dementia and heart disease to cognitive decline. Paying attention to your hearing health can literally save your life!
Besides the direct health implications, hearing loss can also cause problems like social isolation and anxiety when in public. This stress may lead to depression, anger and anxiety.
Cognitive decline often results from hearing loss because of decreased brain stimulation. Balance issues may follow as well, when an imbalance of inner ear fluids is the cause of the hearing damage.
Hearing aids can improve social life and emotional well-being.
Hearing loss leads to miscommunication, which can affect family relationships and friendships. Making communication easier will then help to improve your relationships as well, which will lead to fewer feelings of isolation and loneliness.
Restore communication with family and friends and your social life back!
Navigating the world independently is very difficult with hearing loss, which makes hearing loss sufferers dependent on others. This dependence can lead to feelings of depression because they feel out of control of their own lives.
Get your independence back and get your life back by getting your hearing back!
Increase professional success with restored hearing.
Restoration of normal hearing with hearing aids can also improve professional success.
If you have difficulty communicating in a work environment your work productivity can decline, which may result in decreases in pay or demotions.
Cognitive decline also makes learning new things much more difficult. When you consider that, not investing in hearing aids could actually end up costing you money!
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The information provided in this article is not meant to be medical advice and is for educational purposes only. If you would like to learn more about this and other topics related to audiology, feel free to contact Los Gatos Audiology, with a convenient hearing center located in Los Gatos, CA, by clicking here or by calling 408.703.0772.