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Hearing loss is common, but it is gradual and is often ignored until it becomes a more severe issue. It is essential to seek treatment for hearing loss once symptoms occur to treat the hearing loss itself and its impact on other illnesses. And the best way to treat hearing loss is with hearing aids!
Treating hearing loss: a sound investment
One of the most common concerns raised by those with hearing loss today is that hearing aid advantages do not justify the high cost. The price alone may serve to push away potential buyers.
But even with a relatively high price of $4,500 for two hearing aids, a six-year life expectancy means the devices only cost $750 a year, or just over $2 a day. This one-time investment might be less shocking when you consider that the average person who uses hearing aids will raise their annual income by as much as $12,000 a year through enhanced work performance.
They’re also less tangible benefits to hearing treatment, including for your health. Each part of our body is connected in some way. A problem in one part of our body can affect other health aspects. Whether it’s back pain from a leg muscle or a migraine from a food allergy, there’s no stopping our bodies’ interconnectedness.
Let’s take a look at some of the potential benefits of hearing aids for your health.
An investment in your cognitive health
Hearing loss has been linked to the development of dementia in recent years. Cognitive impairment is associated with hearing loss, which affects about 32% of people aged 55 and more than 70% of people aged over 70.
However, wearing hearing aids can delay cognitive decline in older adults and, according to encouraging new research, may improve brain function.
Researchers at the University of Melbourne have been studying hearing aids with hearing loss in nearly 100 people aged 62-82.
Participants were evaluated before and 18 months after being fitted for hearing aids for their hearing, cognitive ability, comprehension of voice, quality of life, physical activity, depression, mood, and wellbeing.
Researchers found that speech comprehension, self-reported listening difficulty, and quality of life for participants had dramatically improved after 18 months of hearing aids.
The study also found that more frequent use of hearing aids was associated with more significant cognitive function changes.
An investment in your emotional health
Hearing aids are designed for absorbing, amplifying, and processing sound that makes an individual hear better. Managing conversations without overworking yourself significantly improves efficiency. It helps you be more aware, be more actively engaged, and not miss out on what is being expressed.
The ability to manage interactions with greater ease also makes it easier to handle social settings, events, and activities. This alleviates social tension and anxiety and helps you to spend more time with others. This will improve connections and promote more active participation.
Combining all of these factors will help you become more comfortable with your quality of life, resulting in fewer depression episodes, anxiety, and stress.
An investment in your physical health
Hearing loss holds you back in several ways. Hearing loss makes it hard to connect to friends, family members, and coworkers, and more often than not, you will more likely stay at home instead. You can also feel anxious to leave your house since you cannot hear all the noises around you or decide where a sound comes from. People with hearing loss prefer to be closer to home, and avoid traveling around the area, or even avoiding walking around in a new neighborhood.
By improving your spatial awareness and ability to anticipate approaching hazards, hearing aids help keep you safe, make it easier to contact your loved ones and make it easier to meet friends. As states relax restrictions on social life as the pandemic fades, you’ll be more inspired to stay fit, join with friends for outings, and enjoy meals with your family at restaurants. Hearing aids will help you feel comfortable in your neighborhood, and you’ll instantly hear the sounds of traffic or playing children. Wearing hearing aids often decreases the risk of an injury or fall, and with hearing aids, you can experience improved protection.
When taking steps to care for your hearing wellbeing, you will see the positive effects all around you: from productive conversations with friends and family to greater peace of mind overall. If you have hearing loss, don’t miss the opportunity to invest in all aspects of your health. Contact us today to schedule an appointment for a hearing consultation.