Hearing is one of our most vital senses and one that we frequently don’t appreciate or protect until it’s too late. Socially, mentally and physically, our lives are enhanced with good hearing. If you’re not protecting your hearing or ignoring your hearing loss, you are compromising your overall health in ways you may not have realized. Healthy hearing has many benefits, here are a few:
Improved Physical Health
According to a survey performed by Hear The World Foundation, 21 percent of participants confirmed exercising more often after getting hearing aids. Furthermore, 34 percent of participants with hearing aids stated they were participating in sports activities at least once per week.
Improved Mental Health
According to studies by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, hearing impairment has been connected to clinical depression, and also an increased risk of suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The good news is, the use of hearing aids has been shown to help reverse or prevent many of these issues.
Stronger Relationships
Communication is important in any relationship, particularly with friends and family members. Aggravation, miscommunication, and ill will can result from hearing loss. By enhancing your hearing by using hearing aids, you will be better able to participate in conversations, especially in crowded rooms, public places, or other areas with lots of background sound.
Improved Mental Abilities
A study published in 2016 revealed that hearing aids can improve brain function in people with hearing loss. Cognition is disrupted by hearing loss as the brain uses extra resources attempting to hear and understand.
Reduced Tinnitus Symptoms
Hearing aids allow individuals who have experienced hearing impairment to hear sounds they couldn’t previously hear. By enhancing the stimulation between the brain and auditory pathways, hearing aids can help hide and reduce tinnitus symptoms. Wearers can also use hearing aids to manage volumes and drown out tinnitus sounds.
Reduced Fatigue
Anxiety, fatigue, and exhaustion can be the outcome when you need to use additional energy to hear and understand what people are saying. In addition to helping you effectively communicate, hearing aids also help you spend less energy trying to hear.
Greater Security
You will be better able to respond to important sounds and noises when you have good hearing. Sirens, alarms, cell phones, car horns, and other traffic sounds identifying approaching traffic, need to be heard and hearing aids will help you do that.
Fewer Headaches
Headaches and even migraines often come with tinnitus which can, in turn, make the tinnitus symptoms even worse. The intensity and frequency of headaches can be minimized by using hearing aids which decrease tinnitus symptoms.
Clearer Speech
Young children who are still building early language skills need to have any hearing concerns treated right away. There may be fluid in the child’s inner middle ears canal which could need a tube to be surgically implanted for drainage. A hearing aid may be needed for more severe conditions to ensure they are learning to speak precisely and clearly.
Even adults articulate and communicate better when they hear clearly.
Increased Workplace Confidence
Effective communication is essential to performing your day-to-day work duties. Not being capable of hearing critical conversations with your coworkers can cause misunderstandings, missed deadlines, and tasks going unfinished. Using hearing aids can help you prevent these issues, and allow you to have greater pride and satisfaction in your career. Stronger communication skills will make your relationship with your coworkers better also.
You should speak to your local hearing professional if you believe hearing impairment is causing you to miss essential conversations. They can help you decide if hearing aids will help you hear better and improve your general health.
References
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/hearing_loss_accelerates_brain_function_decline_in_older_adults
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/in-the-journals-hearing-aids-may-help-improve-brain-function#:~:text=A%20study%20to%20be%20published,according%20to%20lead%20researcher%20Dr.
