Hearing Loss May Increase the Risk of Falls and Other Mishaps

The tendency to believe that only your ears are affected by hearing loss is reasonable. Most tend to only focus on the body part being affected and their immediate symptoms. As it turns out, having trouble hearing may also increase your risk of falling and other mishaps.

Most people with hearing issues seemed to “learn to live with it” by limiting their social engagements, activities and conversations versus seeking professional help from an audiologist. When the hearing issue is only auditory, it is a lot simpler to solve. Treating hearing loss is vital when it threatens your equilibrium.

A survey taken by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found those with mild to moderate hearing loss have a 60% to 70% higher risk of being injured.

Another study by a doctor at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital investigated whether or not hearing loss contributed to the likelihood of being involved in an accident discovered that out of 6.6 million individuals who had an unintentional injury, roughly 16 percent said their hearing was not ideal.

United States residents have an ongoing growing issue of some sort of level of hearing loss. The longer you live, the higher your risk becomes, because the incidence rate rises with age. So you may be driving or going about without fully realizing the dangers your body is exposed to.

Knowing you have hearing issues and actually seeking professional treatment for it can be challenging. After all, you might think that your current hearing situation is just adequate, or that getting hearing aids would not make a huge difference in your daily life. Getting the professional help needed for hearing loss, will not only help you hear better it may also help avoid dangerous missteps. Other benefits may include a more fulfilling social life, making it easier to participate in conversations and not asking people to repeat themselves.

Some may feel ashamed when they realize they are a burden on their loved ones. This might mean less time spent with friends and family. Resuming your normal activities and spending time with supportive friends and family will be easier after your hearing loss has been treated.

Isolation has been linked to an increase in the prevalence of mental health problems. Consider the correlation between isolation and depression; if left untreated, the latter condition might worsen. Additionally, isolation increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, according to recent research. Therefore, by taking care of your hearing loss now, you are ensuring your future health and happiness.

Mental disorders develop as a result of the brain’s attempt to compensate for the hearing loss. This causes the other functions to feel the strain and fall off more rapidly. The deterioration of brain tissue is called atrophy. Regaining lost hearing is like doing a cognitive “reset” that has been shown to improve one’s mental abilities.

Clearly, there is more motivation to address hearing loss than just avoiding accidents. The advantages are numerous and varied.

Preserving your hearing health is the simple answer. Although the consequences of neglecting this aspect of one’s health are often underestimated, it is nonetheless crucial. Thankfully, at Southern Nevada Audiology we not only want to help treat your hearing loss we want to help you find answers to understand your hearing loss.

Please schedule your hearing assessment checkup with Southern Nevada Audiology in Las Vegas today! Learn more about the advancements in modern hearing aids.