If you have hearing loss, seeking treatment is essential to your overall health and well-being.
While some are hesitant to address their hearing needs, research has shown that untreated hearing loss leads to a poorer quality of life. Let’s examine a few of the most significant consequences of untreated hearing loss as well as the benefits of hearing aids.
Seven Ways Untreated Hearing Loss Can Impact Your Life
- More fatigue. When you struggle to hear, listening can be exhausting. This is because your brain has to put in more effort to comprehend speech and other sounds. You might find yourself more easily drained after a day of meetings or socializing with friends.
- Higher anxiety. Hearing loss can impact your ability to locate where a sound is coming from. This can make you feel disoriented and uncomfortable, especially in louder environments, and increase feelings of anxiety.
- Increased work stress. If you miss key information during a meeting or have a misunderstanding with a client or coworker, it can impact your performance at work. This can add to your stress levels and hurt your confidence on the job.
- Relationship complications. You may find yourself having more misunderstandings or poor communication when spending time with your family and friends. This can lead to frustration on both sides and negatively affect your relationships.
- Increased isolation. Many people with untreated hearing loss find socializing to be increasingly difficult. Things that used to be fun like family barbeques or lunch with friends at Coyote Bluff Café now feel stressful and overwhelming. You may start to isolate yourself from others, which can both worsen your hearing loss as well as lead to feelings of depression and loneliness.
- Worsening memory. Because your brain has to work harder to hear what’s being said, it has less energy to use to transfer that information to your memory. You might find yourself feeling less sharp and struggling to recall recent conversations.
- Health problems. Untreated hearing loss can increase your risk for several different health conditions. These include anxiety and depression, balance issues, and perhaps most seriously, cognitive decline and dementia.
Hearing Aids Can Help You Avoid Long-term Consequences
Treating your hearing loss can help you avoid or at least lower your risk of these negative consequences. Hearing aids are the most commonly prescribed treatment for hearing loss. After your hearing test, an audiologist will assess your results and work with you to find the right pair of hearing aids that meet your needs and help you to stay connected, healthy and happy.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Amarillo Hearing Clinic today.
