As we get older, hearing loss is generally thought to be a fact of life. 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 suffer from loss of hearing?
A new study from Canada posits that more than 50 percent of all middle aged or older Canadians suffer from some form of hearing loss, but that 77% of those people do not report any issues. Some type of hearing loss is impacting more than 48 million Americans and untreated. It’s up for debate whether this denial is on purpose or not, but either way, hearing loss is disregarded by a significant number of individuals – which could bring about substantial problems later on in life.
Why do Some People Not Know They Suffer From Hearing Loss?
It’s a tricky matter. Hearing loss is a gradual process, and problems comprehending people and hearing things go undetected. Many times they blame everyone else around them – they think that everyone is mumbling, the TV volume is too low, or there’s too much background noise. There are, unfortunately, a number of things that hearing loss can be blamed on, and people’s first instinct is not normally going to be to get examined or get a hearing test.
It also happens that some individuals just won’t admit that they have hearing loss. Another study conducted in the United States shows that lots of seniors who have hearing problems flat out deny it. They hide their issue however they can, either because they don’t want to admit to having a problem or because of perceived stigmas associated with hearing loss.
The difficulty is, you may be negatively affecting your general health by neglecting your hearing loss.
Neglected Hearing Loss Can Have a Devastating Affect
Loss of hearing does not exclusively impact your ears – it has been linked to different ailments such as depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline, and it can also be a symptom of high blood pressure and heart disease.
Research has shown that individuals who have treated their hearing loss using cognitive therapy, diet changes and hearing aids have better general health and longer life spans.
It’s important to identify the signs of hearing loss – persistent humming or ringing in the ears, problems carrying on conversations, having to turn up the volume of your radio or TV.
How Can You Manage Hearing Loss?
There are several treatment options you can undertake to get your loss of hearing under control. Hearing aids are the type of treatment that is the most common, and hearing aid tech has developed by leaps and bounds over the last few years so it’s not likely you’ll encounter the same problems your grandparents or parents did. Hearing aids now have the ability to filter out background noise and wind, while also connecting wirelessly to devices like your TV, tablet, or radio.
A changing the foods you eat could impact your hearing health if you have anemia. Since anemia iron deficiency has been shown to cause hearing loss, people who suffer from tinnitus can be helped by consuming foods that are rich in iron.
Having your hearing examined on a regular basis, however, is the most significant thing you can do.
Are you worried you might have hearing problems? Make an appointment for a hearing examination.