Age is the strongest predictor of hearing loss among adults ages 20-69, with the greatest amount of hearing loss in the 60 to 69 age group.1 Because hearing loss is so common you may think it’s no big deal. However, getting help and addressing hearing loss as quickly as possible is important because of the profound impact it can have on your quality of life.
Read on to learn the top 5 reasons you shouldn’t suffer in silence.
Embarrassment
Not hearing well can lead to feeling self-conscious and awkward. And not wanting to reveal your hearing loss to others can lead to:
- Frequent misunderstandings in conversation
- Asking for repetition consistently
- Not responding appropriately in conversation
Frustration and stress on relationships
You may not be the only one feeling frustrated about your hearing loss. Others around you will most likely have noticed it as well. This can lead to:
- Family members having to repeat themselves constantly
- Constant misunderstandings
Social isolation and withdrawal
As your hearing loss increases, you may find yourself purposely declining social invitations due to a variety of reasons:
- Not being able to follow conversation
- Feeling too ashamed to ask others to repeat themselves and/or ashamed of experiencing frequent misunderstandings
- Stress/tension with family members and/or friends from miscommunications
Depression and anxiety
As hearing loss becomes worse and you begin changing your lifestyle by withdrawing, depression and anxiety may arise.
- Anxiety due to anticipated misunderstandings in important conversations i.e. work meetings, doctor’s appointments
- Secondary to social isolation and withdrawal
Cognitive decline
While no causation has been found, studies have found strong correlations between hearing loss and cognitive decline.2 Why is that?
- When the auditory cortex is not being stimulated as it once was, the neurons reallocate to other portions of the brain or stop working altogether
Note: This applies to hearing loss that goes untreated and is likely related to the depression, anxiety and social isolation that can occur
- Depression can occur in those with untreated hearing loss and depression is another risk factor for cognitive decline
Get the Help You Need to Start Hearing Better
While hearing loss can’t be reversed, it can be accommodated thanks to a wide assortment of personal sound amplification products, over-the-counter hearing aids and prescription hearing aids. Get started by taking a free online hearing test, talking to your primary care physician or scheduling an assessment with an ENT or audiologist. Help is available, you just need to ask.
Medline at Home offers a free online test* you can take here.
* As one of many available online tests for the self-assessment of hearing loss, this third-party automated hearing screening test is available for Customer's convenience. It is important to remember that an online hearing test can only assess your general level of hearing, while an in-person hearing test conducted by a hearing professional can diagnose possible causes.
The SHOEBOX Online automated screening test for self-assessment of hearing loss has been tested to have approximately 90% screening accuracy. Sometimes hearing loss is due to the build-up of ear wax which, if removed, could result in a more positive test result. A health professional can determine if there is a build-up of ear wax, or other factors, that may be causing the hearing loss.
References:
1. Hoffman HJ, Dobie RA, Losonczy KG, Themann CL, Flamme GA. Declining Prevalence of Hearing Loss in US Adults Aged 20 to 69 Years. JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery. December 2016 online.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/article-abstract/2592954
2. Lin, F. R., Pike, J. R., Albert, M. S., Arnold, M., Burgard, S., Chisolm, T., Couper, D., Deal, J. A., Goman, A. M., Glynn, N. W., Gmelin, T., Gravens-Mueller, L., Hayden, K. M., Huang, A. R., Knopman, D., Mitchell, C. M., Mosley, T., Pankow, J. S., Reed, N. S., Sanchez, V., … ACHIEVE Collaborative Research Group (2023). Hearing intervention versus health education control to reduce cognitive decline in older adults with hearing loss in the USA (ACHIEVE): a multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Lancet (London, England), 402(10404), 786–797. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01406-X
