Estimated read time: 6-7 minutes
The vital sense: exploring the significance of hearing
When deterioration in hearing begins it can be difficult to know when to seek medical help. Perhaps the best way to begin is to address the major advancements in hearing healthcare over the past decade.
Hearing loss is a progressive degenerative disorder
It wasn't long ago that most people in healthcare looked at hearing loss as a nuisance or something that was a normal part of aging. Some people still think of treating hearing loss as elective healthcare — which implies that hearing is somehow a luxury that one can live without.
But that was then.
In the past decade, professionals in audiology have learned that hearing loss increases the risk of:
- dementia, cognitive decline, and senior moments.
- Falls (#1 cause of injury-related death in adults).
- Hospitalizations.
- Tinnitus.
- Lost independence.
- Negative economic/earnings.
- Premature death.
- Vertigo/balance issues.
Signs of hearing loss
- Difficulty understanding speech, especially in noisy environments.
- Frequently asking others to repeat themselves.
- Turning up the volume on the TV or other electronic devices to a level that others find too loud.
- Struggling to hear high-pitched sounds like doorbells or alarms.
- Feeling like people are mumbling or not speaking clearly.
- Avoiding social situations or conversations due to the challenge of hearing.
- Tinnitus (ringing, buzzing, or hissing sounds in the ears).
- Ear pain, pressure, or a feeling of fullness in the ears.
- Difficulty following conversations on the phone.
- Misunderstanding or misinterpreting what others are saying.
- Hearing loss in one ear (unilateral hearing loss).
Treating hearing loss and tinnitus is not elective healthcare. Hearing is medically necessary for healthy social, emotional, physical, and cognitive function. Here is a brief explanation of each medical benefit of pursuing assistance in hearing health:
Social health
Social Health is most often referred to as our ability to interact, form and maintain meaningful relationships. Most of the empirical research on hearing focuses on the social impacts of this debilitating disorder.
Withdrawal from social situations is common in individuals with hearing loss, even in the earliest stage of the disorder. Most patients mention feelings of embarrassment, loneliness, inadequacy, fear of making mistakes in conversations, and insecurites that they are not part of the conversation.
Below is a quote from one of the most famous and brilliant composers that dates to the early 1800s. Unfortunately, similar complaints from patients in the 21st century continue.
…my ears buzz and hum all the time, day, and night. I may tell you that I lead a wretched life. Over the past two years I have avoided almost all social contact because I can hardly say to people 'I am deaf'.
–Ludwig Van Beethoven
Physical health
It does not take an advanced degree to understand that physical activity is a requirement of maintaining proper health, especially as age becomes more of a factor. It is difficult to comprehend that untreated hearing loss results in people being less physically active.
Why do some people live such long, fulfilling lives, while others do not? Good question! Your first thought may be that those people were blessed with good genes. The truth is that genetics only accounts for 25% of life expectancy.
Emotional health
Although everyone has good and bad days, having positive emotional health is a fundamental aspect of healthy aging. In general, people who are emotionally healthy are in control of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. They can cope with life's challenges. They can keep problems in perspective and bounce back from setbacks. They feel good about themselves and have good relationships.
The amount of published research that details the negative impact of untreated hearing loss on emotional health, stress, anxiety, and depression is exhaustive. The medical treatment of hearing loss is one key ingredient to emotional health by strengthening social connections, increasing quality of sleep, being mindful, and increasing self-esteem.
Cognitive health
Like your brain, your ears never sleep. Your brain is constantly stimulated by the vast neural network of your ears. Until it is not. Then what happens?
Activities which stimulate the mind like hearing, can slow cognitive decline. What starts out as subtle cognitive changes that are seemingly associated with aging go on to affect an older adult's day-to-day function. As people age, there are certain expected (albeit minor) cognitive changes all who live long enough will likely experience. However, with increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia that may be the result of hearing loss, it is important to know the differences of normal aging, MCI (mild cognitive impairment) and dementia.
The medical treatment of hearing loss and tinnitus is the #1 modifiable factor for preventing dementia.
Weighing out the costs
As each of us age, failure to spend even $5,000 on the medical treatment of hearing loss and tinnitus can easily create an $8,000 problem (the average cost to treat anxiety and stress), $30,000 (the average cost a family incurs when an older adult falls) or even a $57,000 problem (the average cost, per year, to manage a loved one with dementia).
All it takes is finding the right hearing healthcare provider to truly correct your hearing loss and tinnitus, and all the associated cognitive needs. Here is what many are typically told by so many patients and family members after a thorough hearing evaluation:
- I am sorry I did not do this sooner.
- I had no idea how my hearing loss was impacting everybody around me.
- I wish I never let finances get in my way
- This is SO EASY!
Aging isn't what it used to be.
It wasn't too long ago that aging and retired adults spent most of their days in their homes and did not live an active lifestyle. Dr. Keith Darrow can still vividly remember his grandmother in her house dress and his grandfather spending most of his days sitting in his chair. In less than a generation there has been a dramatic change in how adults age.
Here are some common myths about aging:
- People slow down with age.
- You can only learn new things when you are young.
- It is time to rest now.
- Decline is inevitable.
The fact is, your 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and even 90s are your most formative years and set the course for how you'll be remembered and the legacy you leave.
Let's face it, not all hearing healthcare specialists are created equal. Every profession has its bad apples and to say that audiology is an exception would be to write a tale of fiction. There is no room to be indifferent when it comes to choosing the right hearing healthcare provider. Finding the right practice means finding someone offering state-of-the-art technology and service.
The right provider offers every opportunity for patients to feel comfortable, safe, and peace knowing they made the right decision (which is why our practices offer a lifetime guarantee.)
For the most up-to-date information on hearing loss and prevention, please visit us at www.excellenceinaudiology.org. For more information about tinnitus, please visit silencethesounds.com. To request your free book about hearing Loss and how to prevent hearling loss decline, visit HBCABookOffer.com.
Or call one of the Hearing and Brain Centers near you at (435) 253-6243 to ask questions, or book an appointment at one of their locations in Bountiful, American Fork, Spanish Fork, St. George, Cedar City, Richfield and Ivins.
