If you’re one of the 48 million Americans with hearing loss, you already know some of the impacts it can have on your health and relationships. A number of studies have shown that wearing hearing aids can improve many facets of your life, not just your hearing.
Hearing Aids Can Slow Cognitive Decline
Studies by Johns Hopkins and others have found a strong link between untreated hearing loss and risk of dementia. In fact, people with mild hearing loss are three times as likely to experience the disease. Another study by the University of Pennsylvania found that poor hearing can accelerate atrophy in the auditory regions of the brain, making speech comprehension more difficult.
Fortunately, researchers have found that hearing aids help decrease atrophy while improving hearing. Treating hearing loss with hearing aids may also, in fact, slow cognitive decline in older adults.
Hearing Aids Can Reduce Tinnitus
Over 50 million Americans experience tinnitus, a pesky ringing, hissing, buzzing or whistling in the ears with no external sound source. Most cases of tinnitus are associated with hearing loss, which is why hearing aids can help reduce tinnitus symptoms. By heightening your ability to hear other more important sounds, your attention is pulled away from tinnitus symptoms.
Hearing Aids Can Increase Earning Power
A study by the Better Hearing Institute found that untreated hearing loss costs people up to $30,000 of lost wages annually, and that people with untreated hearing loss are twice as likely to be unemployed than those with normal hearing.
The study also found that people who wear hearing aids have similar unemployment rates as the rest of the population, and that hearing aid use can reduce the wage gap by over 90 percent for people with mild hearing loss and 77 percent for people with moderate to severe hearing loss.
Hearing Aids Can Provide a Better Quality of Life
The Better Hearing Institute reports that people who wear hearing aids have a better quality of life than those who are untreated in a number of areas, such as self-confidence, communication and relationships.
To start the journey to better hearing and better living, call ENT of Georgia to schedule an appointment today!
