Research suggests that around one in 10 Americans know that their hearing has deteriorated, but over 50% of those who experience early signs of hearing loss haven’t had their hearing tested. In this guide, we’ll discuss the importance of treating hearing loss, highlighting four key reasons to seek advice from an audiologist.
Reasons to treat hearing loss
There are several reasons why treating hearing loss is beneficial. Here are four key advantages to seeking help from your audiologist early:
1. Reducing the risk of further deterioration
Hearing loss often occurs gradually over time, and many people don’t schedule appointments with their audiologist until they notice significant changes in their hearing. When you first start to notice signs of hearing loss, seeking advice early can reduce the risk of further deterioration. In some cases, there are factors that influence hearing that can be controlled.
If you are doing something that is harming the delicate structures within the ear, an audiologist may advise you to consider ways to protect your hearing. If your job carries a risk of hearing loss linked to exposure to loud noises, for example, using ear defenders or earplugs could help to prevent further damage.
2. Enhancing your quality of life
We often take our hearing for granted, and it’s not until it becomes more difficult to detect sounds and noises that we miss being able to hear birds or traffic or people talking or singing. Hearing loss can impact communication, socialization, confidence and overall health and wellbeing. Treating hearing loss can help to restore confidence, facilitate communication with others and help you appreciate your surroundings again. Many people find that treatment options, such as using hearing aids, enhance their quality of life.
3. Protecting your ears
Hearing loss makes it more difficult for you to hear, which means you strain to pick up and process sounds. You have to work harder to try and block out background noise and focus, and this can be tiring. Treating hearing loss is a means of protecting your ears and preventing you from having to cope with fatigue.
4. Hearing new sounds
Some people assume that hearing loss is part of the natural aging process and they continue living life unable to hear people properly and missing out on noises and sounds that they used to be able to hear. Although hearing loss is common, there are solutions. Treatments and therapies can help to address underlying issues that contribute to hearing loss, and it’s also possible to use hearing aids to help you detect sounds if you have permanent hearing loss.
By treating hearing loss, you can appreciate new sounds, as well as those you might have missed. From the birds tweeting to your grandchildren laughing, there are so many positives to taking advantage of treatments for hearing loss.
Hearing loss can impact several areas of your life. The good news is that there are some amazing treatment options available. Treating hearing loss can help to reduce the risk of further deterioration, protect your ears, enhance your quality of life and relationships and enable you to appreciate old and new sounds.
