Signs Of Hearing Loss And How To Treat It

Hearing loss can happen at any age for various reasons. Some are preventable, and others are due to an accident, exposure to loud noise, or illness.

The most common cause is the age-related hearing loss that happens to nearly everyone akin to the need for reading glasses when you hit your forties. Approximately one in three people in North America between the ages of 65 and 74 have hearing loss, and nearly half of those older than 75 have difficulty hearing.

Hearing loss has many practical and social effects which reduce the quality of life. But like reading glasses, when you have the right prescription glasses, you’re life is as enjoyable and normal as ever.

Signs Of Hearing Loss And How To Treat It

Isolation

One of the most typical yet worst effects of hearing loss is isolation. This is the feeling you have when in a group of people who are talking but you don’t participate because you can’t hear everything that is being said. The isolation can also be real, not just an emotion, where you literally isolate yourself and stay at home to remove yourself from these embarrassing situations.

As embarrassing and painful these circumstances, the majority of people resist getting their hearing tested or even getting hearing aids when they need them an average of ten years. There are many reasons.

For some, the concept of wearing a hearing aid makes them feel old. However, this has proven to be a mere period of adjustment. Once you get used to wearing them which takes about a month, you actually feel younger and more empowered. Of course you do – you can hear and participate fully in life.

Isolation

Signs of hearing loss

Increasing the volume of the TV/radio beyond normal listening levels.
Feel that others are mumbling when they speak or they speak softly.
Asking others to repeat themselves.
Finding it increasingly hard to hear conversations in background noise.
Becoming frustrated and tense in social situations because you cannot clearly hear others.
Depending on your spouse, friends, and family members to clarify and repeat things that were said to you.
Avoiding social situations with more than one speaker because it is difficult to hear and understand them.

Signs of hearing loss

The Dangers of Ignoring Hearing Loss

The obvious safety issues aside, the most important issue is cognitive decline. Like many things associated with our brains and bodies, the axiom, “use it or lose it” applies. Hearing loss prevents the brain from receiving stimuli necessary for comprehension. If hearing aids are avoided for long enough, the cognitive damage could be permanent. That is to say, even when a hearing aid is finally adopted, you or your loved one may still have difficulty understanding everything that is being said. So, one issue (loss of hearing) causes the other issue (loss of comprehension). Wearing a hearing aid when you need one can prevent this type of cognitive decline.

Source: The Journal of Neuroscience

The Dangers of Ignoring Hearing Loss

What should I do if I have trouble hearing?

Hearing problems are, by nature, serious. Seek advice from a health care provider. There are several types of professionals who can help you but start with your primary care physician. They might refer you to a specialist if the cause of your hearing loss might be affecting other aspects of your health.

If it’s clear that your condition simply needs a hearing aid, you can book an appointment with one of our audiologists who are licensed in Ontario to evaluate your specific condition with a hearing test and examination. They will counsel you on the options available and fit you with right solution that fits your lifestyle and budget.