Loss of hearing can have a significant effect on you, one that goes beyond the inability to hear things. The loss of your hearing can get in the way of daily activities and can strain relationships.
A study conducted by AARP found that untreated hearing loss had a greater impact on quality of life than:
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Cancer
The loss of hearing, when not treated, can definitely get in the way of your lifestyle, yet there are many who don’t get help. Lots of people with hearing loss avoid getting help because they believe that there is a stigma attached to hearing loss, according to researchers. Being treated differently is one reason people who suffer from hearing loss are scared to tell anyone they can’t hear that well. A distorted self image can be the result of this perception, impacting the young and the old.
Your Not The Only One
Today, people are living longer, that means there are more individuals around with hearing loss, too, although it doesn’t just impact older people. The World Health Organization reports that over 1.1 billion people are at risk of hearing loss and the perceptions that come along with it, many of them young adults. One of the most widespread health concerns facing young adults is, as a matter of fact, hearing loss. Persistent resistance to getting help continues while the amount of people who suffer from hearing loss increases. What is the effect on general health?
How Is Hearing Loss Perceived?
The story is pretty much demonstrated by the very definition of stigma, which is a brand that marks a person as inferior. Feeling older, less healthy, and less capable are worries that a lot of people with hearing loss have.
Historically, there is some foundation for this worry. A 2010 study found people were not as well accepted when they suffered from hearing loss. But that research is based on data nearly a decade old. This perception is changing as hearing loss is becoming more prevalent. Hearing loss technology is becoming Stylish, fun, and sophisticated. Even celebrities are publicly wearing hearing aids. And helping to change hearts and minds, research shows that getting treatment may delay or prevent other health concerns associated with aging such as cognitive decline and dementia. In spite of this, many people still won’t get the help they really need.
Why Does It Matter?
It is simple to say that perception doesn’t matter, but if this anxiety is keeping you from seeking help, recognize that there are health repercussions for not getting treatment. More people get colonoscopies than hearing tests according to an AARP survey. Not having a hearing test because you refuse to acknowledge your hearing loss will impact your health as you get older.
Untreated Hearing Loss, What Are The Consequences?
Not taking care of your hearing loss can have the following health consequences;
Fatigue
Struggling to hear makes just about everything in life more challenging. It’s challenging to try to hear conversations and common sounds. Because you can’t hear traffic or that person coming up behind you, you have to put more work into keeping safe as well. All that extra work you put into daily tasks can lead to chronic fatigue.
Migraines
Headaches and even migraines can be triggered by anxiety and tension. You might not recognize there is a correlation, but studies have shown a link between migraines and certain types of hearing loss. Even if you’re not prone to migraines, your brain has to make up for the sounds you can’t hear, and that constant struggle can cause your head to hurt.
Mental Health
As a consequence of your untreated loss of hearing, you may be facing mental health concerns like depression and social anxiety. Social isolation is increased by hearing loss and it can also lead to dementia. You will have less energy and will be moodier if you have these other challenges.
It is Possible to Overcome The Negative Perception of Hearing Loss
Taking the first step and get help if you want to conquer these negative perceptions. It is possible to treat hearing loss. If you make the decision not to get help, you should recognize that you are the one who suffers.
Not all hearing loss is permanent, either, so you could be stressing for no reason. Something as simple as earwax buildup may be the cause, but you won’t know that unless you make an appointment to get a hearing test.
If you find out you do have hearing loss, you need to deal with it. You can get hearing aids in all shapes and sizes these days. There are hearing aids that are less obvious if your nervous about people knowing you have hearing loss.
Above all, prove them wrong. You can be just as active and healthy as anyone, so wear your hearing aids with confidence. The perception of people with hearing loss will be improved if you act like this. Increase awareness and stay healthy by not surrendering to negative perceptions.
You don’t have to be less capable if you have hearing loss, because it’s actually a medical condition. Make an appointment to have a hearing test today.
