Our hearing is integral to keeping us connected with the world around us and to those we love. At Zounds Hearing New York, we truly understand the impact hearing loss has on our quality of life as well as our overall wellbeing.

More than 60% of older adults have hearing loss. Unfortunately, only one in five who need a hearing aid will actually wear one and they wait an average of 5-7 years before even seeing an Audiologist for help. Unlike getting our eyes checked when we notice a change in our vision, we often don’t notice the deterioration in our hearing. We simply ‘turn the volume louder.’

Untreated hearing loss not only affects your ability to hear sound, but also your ability to understand speech and participate in a normal conversation – which ultimately impacts your social, emotional and physical well-being. Recent studies have linked untreated hearing loss to other health problems, such as overall cognitive decline, an increased risk of dementia, and poorer balance and physical function.1

Once seen as a sign of old age, hearing loss is becoming more common at much younger ages and at a faster rate. Baby Boomers, those between 45 - 65, grew up on noise. From rock concerts to clubs, motorcycles and shooting ranges – and, now ‘aging in place’ in the cities where the noise of sirens, construction, horns, etc. is more prevalent than ever. Today, our children and grandchildren are suffering from hearing damage due to personal listening devices, head phones, cell phones, etc. at dangerous noise levels we’ve never considered before. Music in health clubs, hairdryers, kitchen appliances, vacuum cleaners and large sporting events all have ‘above normal’ decibel levels that can damage our hearing over time.

Some Signs that You May Have Hearing Loss

• A difficulty hearing and understanding people in noisy environments like a restaurant, a car, a shopping mall, a sporting event, or outside in a park.
• You feel like people are “mumbling” all the time and you often ask family, friends, or colleagues to repeat themselves.
• You have trouble hearing people if they aren’t facing you directly.

• You get distracted easily or have a short attention span.
• You always turn up the volume on the television, radio, or your personal listening device.

• You have trouble following conversations.
• You have difficulty hearing callers on your cell phone.
• You have a constant ringing, buzzing, or hissing sound in your ears.

The Common Causes of Hearing Loss

• Long term exposure to excessive loud noise.
• Ear infections, head trauma, or ear disease.
• Harm to the inner ear and ear drum from contact with a foreign object, like a cotton swab.
• An illness or even certain prescription drugs, antibiotics or over-the-counter pain medication.
• Decreasing hearing simply due to normal aging.

 

What Are the Effects of Untreated Hearing Loss?

Unfortunately, hearing loss is usually a slow and insidious process. Because it happens over a long period of time, we tolerate or “accommodate” the loss and don’t realize how bad our hearing has become. Unfortunately, the effects of not treating hearing loss can be serious and lead to a range of health issues. Bouts of serious depression are higher in those with untreated hearing loss; and as it becomes more difficult to hear others, we begin to self-isolate and withdraw from our family and friends. What results is a loss of the personal warmth and engagement in our relationships which contributes to deeper feelings of isolation. We also tend to deny our “alleged” hearing loss, which only delays our ability and desire to address it. Additionally, Johns Hopkins and The National Institute on Aging recently found a correlation between untreated hearing loss and a loss of cognitive function, such as forms of dementia and Alzheimer’s. “Auditory deprivation,”,or what happens when our brains no longer receive appropriate auditory stimulation or sound, leads to a lower level of cognitive function. So auditory stimulation, or hearing what’s important, is critical in maintaining our healthy brain.

Reversing the Effects of Hearing Loss

The good news is that the consequences of delayed treatment of our hearing loss can be halted and in some cases, reversed once we are fitted with bilateral hearing aids.

Many new hearing aid wearers say they feel “reenergized” by hearing the world in a way they haven’t experienced in years. Once your auditory stimulation is restored, your cognitive and mental abilities and focus can sometimes be restored through special exercises.

Don’t wait any longer. Call us today for a Free Evaluation with our Audiologist to find out if you are currently impacted by hearing loss.

1 Johns Hopkins Study of 2011.