Inability to hear is not the only effect of hearing loss, it can also have a significant impact on your life. The loss of your hearing can easily get in the way of day-to-day tasks and can strain relationships.
A survey carried out by AARP found that untreated hearing loss had a greater impact on quality of life than:
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Stroke
- Obesity
Even though it gets in the way of their lifestyle, a lot of people who have hearing loss don’t get treatment. A perceived stigma attached to loss of hearing is one reason why people who suffer from hearing loss don’t get the help they need, say researchers. People are worried they will be treated differently if others know they are suffering from hearing loss. It doesn’t matter how old they are, this perception can change the way they view themselves.
Your Not The Only One
Nowadays, people live longer, so there are more individuals out there with hearing loss, too, even though it doesn’t just affect seniors. The World Health Organization reports that there are more than 1.1 billion people, many of them young adults, at risk of hearing loss and the public perception that comes with it. As a matter of fact, hearing loss is one of the most common health issues adults deal with. Even as the number of people who have hearing loss keeps increasing, the resistance to seeking assistance for hearing loss appears to persist. How is one’s overall health affected?
How Is Hearing Loss Viewed?
The story is pretty much demonstrated by the very definition of stigma, which is a brand that labels someone as inferior. Feeling older, less healthy, and less capable are concerns that a lot of people with hearing loss have.
Historically, there is some foundation for this worry. A 2010 study revealed people were not as well accepted when they suffered from hearing loss. But the data from this research is almost a decade old. This perception is improving as hearing loss becomes more commonplace. Celebrities openly wear hearing aids and the devices are becoming more sophisticated, stylish, and fun. Other health issues related to aging, such as cognitive decline and dementia could be delayed or even prevented by getting treatment, researchers say. This is also helping to change the perception. Some people still won’t seek help in spite of this research.
Why Does It Matter?
There are health consequences for not seeking treatment, so don’t let your anxiety about negative perception keep you from getting help. People get colonoscopies, according to an AARP survey, more often than they get hearing tests. Not having a hearing test because you refuse to recognize your hearing loss will impact your health as you get older.
Untreated Hearing Loss, What Are The Consequences?
Your general health will be affected by these physical consequences;
Fatigue
Struggling to hear makes just about everything in life more challenging. You have to work more than others to hear conversations and sounds. It becomes necessary to put more energy into keeping safe, also, because you can’t hear that car or truck coming or someone walking behind you. All the extra work you put into everyday tasks can lead to chronic fatigue.
Migraines
Headaches and even migraines can be induced by stress and tension. You might not realize there is a connection, but studies have shown a link between migraines and certain kinds of hearing loss. Your brain needs to compensate for the sounds you can’t hear, so even if you don’t normally suffer from migraines, the constant effort can make your headache.
Mental Health
Anxiety and depression are some mental health problems you could possibly also end up facing as a result of untreated loss of hearing. Social isolation is worse when you have hearing loss and it can also lead to dementia. Moodiness and reduced energy levels go along with these other challenges.
Surmounting Negative Perceptions of Hearing Loss
Getting help is the first step to overcoming these negative perceptions. It is possible to treat hearing loss. Your only creating your own hardship by not getting treatment.
There may not even be any reason to stress because not all hearing loss is permanent. common earwax buildup can cause loss of hearing, but you can’t be sure unless you schedule an appointment to have a hearing test.
If you find out you do have hearing loss, do something about it. Hearing aids come in many shapes and sizes nowadays. If you don’t want other people to know about your condition, then look for devices that are less noticeable.
Finally, prove them wrong. You should wear your hearing aids with confidence because when you can hear, you will be just as active and healthy as anyone else. The perception of people with hearing loss will be changed if you act in this way. Negative perceptions are social poisons so be strong and increase awareness to change them.
Hearing loss is not a personal weakness it’s a medical condition. So see a hearing professional for a hearing test right away.