Aging is one of the leading causes of sensorineural hearing loss. Research estimates that one in three people between the ages of 65 and 74 have hearing loss and almost half of those older than 75 have difficulty hearing as well.
Treating Hearing Loss Improves Your Health
You don’t just have to accept hearing loss as a part of getting older, though. Being proactive and treating your hearing loss with hearing aids has numerous benefits that affect multiple aspects of your life.
Physical Benefits
Using hearing aids obviously improves your hearing ability, but the physical benefits go beyond that. Treating your hearing loss can also lower your risk of balance issues and help you to avoid injuries from falls.
Mental Benefits
Hearing loss can be stressful and increase levels of depression and anxiety in people who suffer from the condition. However, treating hearing loss can help reduce those feelings and lead to better mental health.
Cognitive Benefits
Researchers have previously linked hearing loss to an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. The exact reasoning for this is unknown. However, brain scans have shown that hearing loss may contribute to a faster rate of brain atrophy.
This may be because hearing loss deprives your brain of stimulation when it stops picking up and processing sounds you used to hear. It could also be because people with hearing loss are more likely to isolate themselves as it gets harder to follow conversations. Isolation has been known to accelerate cognitive decline.
Hearing Aids Keep You Connected to Loved Ones
One of the biggest benefits of treating your hearing loss is that it allows you to stay connected to those most important to you. Untreated hearing loss can take a toll on relationships because it interferes with your ability to communicate effectively.
Hearing aids improve your ability to engage with others. They make it easier to enjoy spending time with friends and converse with your spouse while out to dinner at Tap & Vine at 559.
Our relationships with others are crucial to our overall happiness and wellbeing. To ensure that they stay strong, it’s essential to make your hearing health a top priority.
For more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our experts, call Oregon Ear, Nose & Throat Center today.