The Hidden Risks of Hearing Loss

Many individuals believe that hearing loss is a normal part of aging, even though it can interfere with normal day-to-day life. Sadly, this affects the number of people who seek treatment for their hearing loss and puts them at risk of developing further health problems.

Your health and daily life are significantly impacted by how well you can hear. You might find that your risk of having other diseases increases if you leave your hearing loss untreated. Unfortunately, hearing health is not necessarily part of regular health checks. Yet, dealing with hearing loss is often easier than most people imagine. You can find a suitable treatment to monitor and address hearing loss and lower the likelihood of developing associated ailments, diseases or health issues with the help of an audiologist.

Hearing loss can bring unexpected health risks for individuals of all ages.

Dementia and Cognitive Decline

A healthy brain is dependent on hearing. Hearing, in fact, allows the brain to remain active and interact with others as well as with various activities like watching TV, listening to the radio or even going for a walk outside. Brain health necessitates both mental and physical engagement.

However, you may be less able to participate in either mental or physical activities if you have hearing loss. As a result, parts of the brain can develop atrophy, which means they become inactive and are more at risk of deteriorating. This can lead to cognitive decline. Having trouble focusing, thinking or even remembering things may be a sign of this phenomenon.

Degenerative diseases like dementia can also be exacerbated by untreated hearing loss.

Depression

Unaddressed hearing loss can create embarrassment and make you feel awkward in social situations. Indeed, you don’t feel confident asking people to repeat what they just said, or you are worried that you are speaking out of turn or not following the conversation. Trying to concentrate to overcome hearing loss is ineffective and leads to mental fatigue.

Therefore, it is not uncommon for people with hearing loss to willingly avoid social gatherings. Social isolation becomes a convenient solution to avoid shame and feelings of inadequacy. However, in the long term, social isolation can morph into loneliness and contribute to high risks of developing depression.

Risks of Falls and Accidents

Hearing plays a significant role in your ability to maintain your balance when you are moving. Indeed, the ear is also the center of balance in the body. Therefore, leaving hearing loss untreated could also increase the risks of losing your balance.

There is another good reason for linking hearing loss and falls: Being able to hear the noises in your surroundings is instrumental to how you navigate and orientate yourself in any environment. For instance, you can become startled by-passing vehicles when you are outside because you can’t hear them. This can gradually evolve into embracing a more sedentary lifestyle and avoiding physical activities in an effort to preserve your safety. Unfortunately, in the long term, inactivity can increase the risk of muscle loss and strength loss, which are prone to cause falls too.

Anxiety and Heart Disease

Anxiety is a frequent occurrence for people with hearing loss. Indeed, you can become nervous at the thought that you could miss important audio cues, such as wake-up alarms, phone calls and verbal information. Gradually, this can lead to anxiety disorders.

Additionally, being unable to hear correctly what is being said can contribute to paranoia. You might begin to misinterpret behaviors around you and assume that people are mocking you or talking about you.

Both these phenomena can be highly stressful, often leading to chronic stress in social situations. Unfortunately, extreme stress levels are frequently linked to the development of heart diseases. Hearing loss could put you at risk of cardiovascular disorders.

Hearing Loss and Diabetes

Studies have shown a link between hearing loss and diabetes, revealing that people with diabetes are more likely to experience hearing loss. Indeed, high blood sugar levels linked to diabetes can cause damage to the inner ear, which can affect the way audio signals are perceived or transmitted to the brain.

Therefore, if you experience hearing loss, it could also be a sign that you have untreated and undiagnosed diabetes. As type 2 diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate across the country, with over 35 million individuals affected and 96 million in prediabetes, it becomes essential to monitor your blood sugar levels. Many do not know about their diabetes risks, which can increase the likelihood of hearing loss.

If you suspect that you have hearing loss, or if you are uncertain about your hearing health, we strongly recommend making an appointment with a professional audiologist at Affordable Audiology & Hearing Service call us today at (920) 267-5220.