The decision to ignore or treat hearing loss should never be taken lightly. Hearing loss can play a significant role in many health issues that impact our daily life, which can turn into much more serious concerns than just needing to turn up the TV a little more. There are many reasons why you shouldn’t ignore the signs of hearing loss, but here we will outline our top three.
What is hearing loss?
Hearing loss refers to the reduced ability to perceive sounds. There are two types of hearing loss, conductive and sensorineural. Conductive hearing loss stems from a problem with sound conducting to the inner ear, whereas sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is an issue with the cochlea or auditory nerve in the inner ear.
Hearing loss can be temporary (acquired) or permanent (congenital). Congenital hearing loss is present from birth and will not get better over time, whereas acquired hearing loss occurs over time due to aging, exposure to loud noise or other illnesses.
What causes hearing loss?
Hearing loss can be caused by many things, but excessive or loud noise is the main cause of acquired hearing loss. Prolonged exposure to loud noise can lead to permanent hearing damage. Other causes include:
- Genetics
- Aging
- Excessive earwax build-up
- Infections
- Side-effects of certain medications
- Illness related to high fever
- Trauma to the head or ears
3 Reasons Not to Ignore Hearing Loss
Many people with hearing impairment do not seek help for their condition due to lack of awareness of knowledge about the health implications. Three reasons not to ignore hearing loss include:
- Accidental injuries – Hearing loss may detract from environmental awareness, which can increase the likelihood of accidental falls and injuries. Missed or misunderstood alarms or signals like car horns and warning alerts can also jeopardize safety.
- Better quality of life (better relationships) – One of the most important reasons for getting hearing loss treated is that it can cause social isolation. As the challenges of listening increase, people often start to feel like they are “missing out” and withdraw from friends and family, or activities that bring them joy. Treating hearing loss enables you to participate with the people and activities that make you happy.
- Early warning signs of other serious health issues – Health issues like high blood pressure, depression, dementia and high stress levels are linked with having untreated hearing loss.
If you or a loved one is suffering from hearing loss, it’s important to remember that the earlier you detect hearing loss, the better your chances are of recovering from it. Call our office today at 520-881-8740 to schedule a hearing test with one of our audiologists.