One out of every five adults will be diagnosed with hearing loss in Plano at some point in their lives. This will inevitably change their lives as they adjust to communication challenges and other daily obstacles. Fortunately, the majority of these individuals – 90 percent – will benefit from using hearing aids. Not only will hearing aids reduce the burden of hearing aids – they can also lead to a longer life, according to new research.
5 Reasons to Wear Hearing Aids
Hearing aids are considered the gold standard in hearing loss treatment for one very simple reason: they work!
Studies from around the world have shown many benefits to wearing them including improved communication ability, increased participation in social activities, better personal and professional relationships and a reduced risk for many physical, psychological and social conditions.
Hands down, they are the best tool for improving your quality of life if you have hearing loss in Plano.
Best of all? Hearing aids can help add years to your life. Here’s how:
- Hearing aids improve your balance. When you have hearing loss, your brain must work harder to process sound. Doing so is costly: it must divert resources that would otherwise be used in other areas, such as the balance system. Good hearing is important in preventing falls, one of the leading causes of injury and death in the elderly. Studies show your risk of falling is three times higher if you have mild hearing loss; the more severe your impairment, the bigger your risk. Hearing aids allow your brain to focus more on balance, making it less likely you’ll experience a fall.
- Hearing aids keep you safer in emergencies. Most people with hearing loss experience a decline in their ability to hear higher-frequency sounds, such as those emitted by emergency vehicles and smoke detectors. Being unable to hear these warning signals and others, such as car horns, increases your risk of injury or death in an emergency situation. Hearing aids are programmed to target the frequencies you have trouble with, so wearing them keeps you safer.
- Hearing aids lower your risk of depression. People with hearing loss experience depression rates that are 8 percent higher than those found in individuals with normal hearing, according to research by the National Council on Aging. Not only is hearing loss emotionally devastating; it impacts your everyday way of life and can cause a reduction in social engagement. Hearing aids help counter these negative effects.
- Hearing aids improve social interaction. Individuals with hearing loss are less socially active, due in large part to the anxiety and fatigue their impairment causes. Withdrawal and isolation are common, factors that are associated with higher mortality rates. When you wear hearing aids, your brain doesn’t have to work as hard, making social activities much more enjoyable – and lowering your risk of premature death.
- Hearing aids reduce cognitive decline. There is a positive correlation between hearing loss and cognitive decline. We’ve already mentioned how your brain must work harder to process sound; this leaves fewer resources available for important functions such as memory and cognition – reasons why dementia rates are higher in people with untreated hearing loss. Wearing hearing aids allows your brain to focus on these key areas, reducing the likelihood you will experience cognitive decline and lowering your risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease – both of which can lead to an earlier death.
If you have hearing loss but aren’t wearing hearing aids, we encourage you to talk to your Plano audiologist to learn more about how these devices can help improve – and lengthen! – your life.
