Our hearing is integral to keeping us connected with the world around us, and to those we love. It affects the way we communicate and how we understand our world, and just as importantly, it keeps our brains active. People with long-term, untreated, hearing loss can begin to suffer from Auditory Deprivation, a condition where parts of the brain begin to slow down or cease being able to understand key sounds and make connections necessary to maintaining healthy brain activity and a healthy lifestyle. This can lead to many medical and social problems, such as depression, stress, loneliness, and dementia.

However, auditory deprivation can be treated with varying degrees of success based on the severity, how soon it is treated, and if work has been done to try to prevent it. Studies have shown that by using hearing aids, and maintaining proper hearing health, the effects of Auditory Deprivation can be slowed down – and even reversed! This is because hearing aids are able to assist the ear in capturing sounds that may otherwise not be heard, resulting in heightened brain activity and effectively assisting the wearer in communicating. The increase in communication and in brain activity allows the wearer to combat some of the medical and social issues that may arise, such as depression and social withdrawal.

By using hearing aids, the wearer is also able to help prevent or delay further hearing loss and Auditory Deprivation by maintaining their hearing capability while being aware of the volume of things in their environment. This allows them to monitor how loud the sounds are that they are hearing, and ascertain whether or not the setting is conducive to good hearing health. If someone with untreated hearing loss was in a situation where their hearing could be damaged, (in front of a TV that’s too loud, at a concert, sitting next to a speaker, etc.) they may not notice the increased volume and risk, as they cannot hear how loud the area is. Once the damage is done, it’s done, which is why prevention of hearing loss is imperative to keeping a healthy and active lifestyle.

Apart from simply removing oneself from excessively loud environments, your hearing can also be preserved through regular trips to your doctor as well as getting your hearing tested as soon as you notice a difference in your hearing. It is safer to have our hearing evaluated after the first time you put the television up too loud rather than two years later. So call our Doctor of Audiology at (212) 879-2329 to schedule your free hearing evaluation, and discover how Zounds can help improve your hearing capability and quality of life, today!

For more information on hearing loss, Auditory Deprivation, and more reasons why you should protect your hearing, please visit:

http://www.healthyhearing.com/content/articles/Hearing-loss/Causes/46306-Hearing-loss-auditory-deprivation