Effects of Untreated Hearing Loss
Exploring the hidden dangers of ignoring hearing health
The Hidden Consequences of Untreated
Hearing Loss
Hearing is a treasured gift that enriches our lives with the world’s beautiful sounds and helps us connect with our loved ones. However, untreated hearing loss affects more than just your ears—it profoundly impacts your overall well-being and those around you.
Here’s a closer look at the effects of untreated hearing loss, unveiling its far-reaching consequences that may surprise you.
Untreated Hearing Loss and Emotional Effects
Hearing loss that has gone untreated has been linked to a series of emotional health issues, which include:
- Stress, tension, fatigue and depression
- Negativism, irritability, and anger
- Withdraw or avoidance of social situations
- Reduced alertness with increased threat to personal safety
- Loneliness and feelings of social rejection
When experiencing hearing loss you may have trouble following conversations while in a group. This problem may lead you to socially withdraw and limit time spent with family and friends. Over time untreated hearing loss can cause anxiety and depression. The idea of being in the middle of a large gathering or a meeting at work may cause you to feel extremely anxious.
Cognitive Decline From Hearing Loss Going Untreated
Along with effects to your emotional well-being, hearing loss that goes untreated can affect cognitive health. A decline in your ability to hear means your brain is receiving less stimulation because it is not working to identify specific sounds. This can lead to a person having memory as well as hearing loss and even dementia. The brain works in much the same way as your body. Working out the varied muscle groups of the body helps it to maintain overall health. If you focused only on a specific area, the parts of your body not being attended to would weaken. This is similar to how hearing loss that is untreated affects your brain. The part of the brain that is responsible for sound transmission becomes weaker, which makes it more likely that you will experience both memory and hearing loss.
Hearing Aids Benefits
The first step you can take toward a better quality of life is treating the hearing loss you’re experiencing. Adding a hearing aid to your life can reacquaint you with things that have been missing for years. There are many benefits to treating hearing loss which include:
- Hearing nature’s sounds
- Hearing a grandchild’s first words
- Being able to comfortably attend dinners taking place in noisy environments
- Understanding conversation at parties
- Feeling safer in while traveling
- Hearing everything at a lecture or conference
Getting Help
Untreated hearing loss can affect the very young all the way to seniors. It is not always age specific. To figure out what help you need, you should schedule to see a hearing loss professional. They will help to determine the kind of hearing loss you are experiencing and to what degree. After this, they will suggest the kind of hearing device that will help you to live a happier and more fulfilled daily life.
If you believe that you or someone you love is suffering from loss of hearing (either known or untreated), take the first step today and contact a hearing loss professional. You will not regret this decision!