Hearing loss can have a profound effect on you, one that is about a lot more than the inability to hear things. Relationships can be stressed and everyday pursuits can be interrupted by hearing loss.
A study conducted by AARP found that neglected hearing loss had a greater effect on quality of life than:
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Obesity
The loss of hearing, when left untreated, can seriously get in the way of your lifestyle, yet there are many people who don’t get help. Lots of people who suffer from hearing loss shun getting help because they think that there is a stigma attached to hearing loss, according to researchers. Being treated differently is one reason people with hearing loss are worried to let anyone know they can’t hear that well. It doesn’t make a difference how old they are, this perception can change the way they see themselves.
Many Other People Also Have Hearing Loss
As lifespans grow longer, hearing loss has become more commonplace, despite the fact that it can impact people of every age group, The World Health Organization reports that there are more than 1.1 billion people, a lot of them young adults, at risk of hearing loss and the perceived perception that comes with it. Hearing loss is, as a matter of fact, one of a young adult’s most significant health threats. The resistance to getting help persists while the amount of people with hearing loss grows. What is the impact on general health?
How Is Hearing Loss Viewed?
A brand that marks someone as inferior is how people with hearing loss feel and that is the very meaning of stigma. Feeling older, less healthy, and less capable are concerns that many 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 study is based on data nearly 10 years old. As hearing loss is becoming more common, this perception is changing. Sophisticated, stylish, and fun technology is currently available that even has celebrities visibly wearing hearing aids. And helping to change hearts and minds, research shows that getting treatment might delay or prevent other health problems connected to aging such as cognitive decline and dementia. But still, despite changing perceptions, many people still hesitate to get treatment.
Why Does It Matter?
Don’t let your fear of negative perception keep you from seeking treatment or you could suffer long-term health consequences. People get colonoscopies, according to an AARP study, more often than they get hearing tests. Not getting a hearing exam because you refuse to recognize your hearing loss will affect your health as you get older.
Consequences of Undiagnosed or Untreated Hearing Loss
Not taking care of your hearing loss can have the following health repercussions;
Fatigue
Finding it difficult to hear makes pretty much everything in life more difficult. It’s difficult to try to hear conversations and common sounds. You have to put more energy into keeping safe, too, because you can’t hear that car or truck coming or someone walking up from behind you. Just working hard to hear everyday sounds can induce chronic fatigue.
Common Headaches and Migraines
Headaches and even migraines can be caused by anxiety and tension. Studies have shown a link, though you may not have realized there was a correlation, between some forms of hearing loss and migraines. The constant extra effort by your brain to compensate for what you can’t hear can cause your head to hurt even if you’re not prone to migraines.
Mental Health
You might also be facing mental health problems as a result of your untreated loss of hearing like depression and social anxiety. Social isolation is worse when you have hearing loss and it can also result in dementia. These challenges, in turn, often produce physical symptoms such as reduced energy levels or moodiness.
The Negative Perception of Hearing Loss Can be Surmounted
Getting help is the first step to overcoming these negative perceptions. Hearing loss is treatable. If you choose not to get treatment, you should realize that you are the one who suffers.
You also may be stressing out over nothing because not all hearing loss is permanent. Something as basic as earwax buildup might be the cause, but you won’t know that unless you make an appointment to get a hearing test.
Knowing you have hearing loss is not enough, you need to take action. Hearing aids come in all shapes and sizes nowadays. If you don’t want other people to be aware of your condition, then get a hearing aid that is less obvious.
Finally, prove them wrong. You can be just as active and healthy as anyone, so wear your hearing aids with self-confidence. Your attitude will change people’s perception not only of you, but of everyone who has hearing loss. Negative perceptions are social poisons so stay strong and increase awareness to change them.
You don’t have to be less able if you have hearing loss, because it’s actually a medical condition. Make an appointment to have a hearing exam today.
