Have you noticed that your hearing is not quite what it used to be? Have you grown accustomed to asking friends, colleagues, and family members to repeat themselves or struggling to follow the conversation when you’re in a busy or loud environment like a restaurant or a party?
When you notice the signs of hearing loss taking action to get your hearing tested and follow through with the right treatment option can be beneficial for many reasons. Wearing a hearing aid will restore your hearing and make social occasions easier,. There are also larger physical and mental health benefits to treating your hearing loss.
What Are the Signs of Hearing Loss?
These are the leading signs that you should get your hearing tested:
- You listen to the TV or music with the volume set to maximum or higher than what many people need.
- You find it difficult to keep up with a conversation.
- You find it hard to understand conversations over the phone.
- You feel stressed, tired, or fatigued after extended periods of concentrating while listening.
- You hear a persistent ringing in your ear.
You can get your hearing tested with a local audiology clinic like Toronto Hearing Consultants. Just book an appointment, and they will help with everything from the test to treatment options.
The Risks of Ignoring Hearing Loss
Unfortunately, many adults with hearing loss ignore the signs, or they get their hearing tested and wait to act. On average, people who eventually wind up using a hearing aid have waited 10 years before getting treatment. During that time, their risks for other negative health impacts increase, in some cases, dramatically.
#1 Increased Risk for Developing Dementia
Medical research shows that hearing loss may contribute to the development of dementia by increasing the rate of atrophy in the brain. Dementia can be the result of the brain not being active enough, and hearing loss can lead to individuals avoiding conversations or opting out of social gatherings.
#2 Increased Balance Issues in Older Adults
One of the largest health risks for older adults is a trip and fall injury. They can lead to a fractured hip or broken limb at an age when recovering is very difficult and when an injury of this magnitude can lead to significant social isolation.
When you walk, your hearing catches subtle cues in sound that unconsciously assist with your balance. When you experience hearing loss, those subtle cues are lost, and your balance can actually suffer, increasing the risk of a fall.
#3 Increased Social Isolation
As your hearing declines, you can feel left out of conversations or fatigued from social events. This can lead to disengaging from social interactions from the beginning. It may become harder to keep in touch with friends, or you may feel less inclined to reach out or respond to invitations to events that you know will take place in busy or noisy environments.
Getting your hearing tested and taking action if you find hearing loss will reduce these additional risks. Book an appointment for a hearing test if you have noticed these symptoms.
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
