Sadly, as we grow older, hearing loss becomes a common occurrence. In the United Kingdom, around 18 million individuals experience some kind of hearing impairment, but because hearing loss is often seen as a natural part of getting older, many choose not to address it. Failing to deal with hearing loss, though, can lead to significant adverse impacts on a person’s overall health and happiness, in addition to their difficulty in hearing.
Why do numerous individuals choose to simply accept living with hearing loss? Over a third of the elderly view hearing loss as a minor problem that can be easily managed, whereas over half of the participants mentioned the expense as a worry. Nonetheless, these expenses can escalate dramatically when you consider the severe consequences and health issues that result from neglecting hearing loss.
Fatigue
Many individuals won’t immediately link exhaustion to hearing impairment. Rather, they’ll point to various reasons for feeling tired, such as the natural slowing down that comes with age or the adverse effects of certain medications. The truth is, the more you lose your hearing, the more your body compensates for it, resulting in fatigue. Picture yourself taking an exam where your mind is completely concentrated on the task. Afterward, you’re likely to feel exhausted. The same occurs when you have difficulty hearing: your mind is working hard to fill in the gaps in what you’re missing out on in conversations – which can be particularly challenging in noisy environments – and expends a lot of energy just trying to understand the conversation. This kind of persistent fatigue can affect your well-being by leaving you too exhausted to look after yourself, leading to neglecting activities like going to the gym or preparing nutritious meals.
Cognitive Decline
Research from Johns Hopkins University has shown a connection between hearing loss and a drop in brain functions, faster loss of brain tissue, and an increased risk of dementia. Although these connections suggest a relationship rather than a direct cause, scientists think that the more effort the brain puts into trying to understand a conversation, the less it has left for other tasks such as remembering and understanding. As individuals get older, the brain’s need for cognitive effort can lead to a faster deterioration of other brain functions and contribute to the loss of brain tissue. Moreover, engaging in regular discussions and sharing information, especially through talking, is thought to help older people maintain their mental health and slow down cognitive decline. The discovery of a link between hearing loss and cognitive decline is encouraging for future studies, as it allows experts in hearing and cognitive health to collaborate in identifying the reasons behind these conditions and developing treatments for them.
Mental Health Issues
The National Council on the Aging carried out research involving 2,300 elderly individuals experiencing some degree of hearing impairment, finding that those who did not seek treatment were more prone to developing mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and paranoia, which adversely impacted their social and emotional health. The connection between hearing loss and mental health conditions is logical, as individuals with hearing difficulties often struggle to engage in conversations in social or family settings, leading to feelings of loneliness that can progress to depression. Untreated anxiety and paranoia can also emerge from these feelings of being isolated and excluded. However, the use of hearing aids has been demonstrated to assist in overcoming depression. It’s important for anyone dealing with depression, anxiety, or paranoia to seek advice from a mental health expert.
Heart Disease
Our bodies function as a complex network, where issues in one area can affect another, seemingly unrelated, part. This concept applies to our hearts and ears. For example, hearing loss can happen when blood flow from the heart to the inner ear is obstructed. Additionally, diabetes, a condition associated with heart disease, can damage the nerve endings in the inner ear, leading to distorted signals from the ear to the brain. Individuals experiencing mild hearing loss, especially with a family history of heart disease or diabetes, should seek advice from both a hearing and cardiac expert to confirm if the hearing loss is indeed related to heart issues, as neglecting these symptoms could result in severe, potentially fatal outcomes.
If you’re dealing with hearing loss or any of the symptoms mentioned, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to assist you in living a healthier life.