Have you ever thought about your hearing health? Statistics show that most people take good hearing for granted. As a result, few people think about what would happen to them if they started to lose their hearing. But it is a serious problem, which will affect every aspect of your life!
What should you know about hearing loss?
Hearing loss is a very common problem. The percentage of sufferers is particularly high among the inhabitants of megacities. The reason for this statistic is the increasing number of negative factors in large cities. Having a quiet and comfortable place to live is not a 100% guarantee of good hearing. There are many reasons for this. But they all lead to the same result – a drastic reduction in quality of life!
The following fact makes the situation worse. Many people still think that hearing problems are a feature of old age. This used to be the case. Because of age-related changes, people’s hearing deteriorates, as they get older. In recent years, the trend has changed. Today Audiologists see many young people, teenagers, and even children!
Who should be concerned about hearing loss? Everyone! Although the incidence of hearing loss is higher in older age, anyone can have such problems. Hearing loss is not selective. Young or old, rich or poor, healthy or ill. Anyone can be diagnosed with hearing loss!
What are the causes of hearing loss?
There is a stereotype in society that hearing loss only affects older people. This is an extremely simplistic and superficial view. There are several causes of the problem. The most common are
- Prolonged noise exposure
- Age-related changes
- Complications of infectious diseases
- Genetic predisposition
- Trauma to the head and hearing organs, etc.
Some of these provoking factors are completely beyond our control. For example, age-related changes or heredity. So, no one has been able to change DNA. Others, however, can be prevented. A noisy environment and extremely high or low-frequency sounds can permanently damage your hearing. If you protect your hearing from its effects, you’ll be diagnosed with hearing loss.
Can I hear again?
Hearing loss changes a person’s life, dividing it into before and after. The following fact makes the situation even worse. Damaged hearing cannot be repaired. Hearing aids can restore the ability to hear and understand the world around you by helping you interact with it. Yes, medicine can return people to a happy and active life. But they must always use medical devices:
- Hearing Aids
- Cochlear Implants
You’ll agree that they are not very comfortable to wear all the time. But today’s hearing aids are marvels of technology and design. They are small, stylish devices that can bring you back to your old life and accentuate your style. Sophisticated electronic devices have individual settings.
That’s why choosing a hearing aid is a complex task best left to a professional. And your first step is to make an appointment with a hearing aid doctor. Your audiologist will guide you through the entire process, from the hearing test to the fitting of the hearing aids after the trial period. This is the only way to get effective and comfortable electronic aids that will bring you back to the wonderful world of sounds and voices of your loved ones!
When to contact a hearing care professional?
It depends on how fast the hearing loss is progressing. A rapidly progressing loss will prompt a person to seek hearing care sooner. And if the condition develops slowly, it may be years or even decades before the person contacts a doctor.
Some people are afraid to see a surgeon. Others want to save money. There are many reasons for such a decision. But they all have the same effect. It further deterioration of hearing and new problems in everyday life.
How does refusing treatment affect a hearing-impaired person?
Suppose you decide to save money and refuse to buy a hearing aid. What are the risks? Over time, the problem will affect all aspects of your life. You’ll start to be late for work because you couldn’t hear your alarm clock. You’ll be accused of inattention in business meetings and staff meetings because you cannot hear, what your colleagues and bosses are saying. Especially if there are several people involved in the conversation. Your day-to-day efficiency will gradually decline as hearing loss inevitably affects your cognitive abilities. The result is dissatisfaction with your labor.
Hearing loss not only affects your own psychological and emotional condition, but it is also a problem for everyone around you. As hearing is one of the most important means of human communication, it can have a devastating effect on your relationships with others. Think about how many times a day you interact socially with other people.
Hearing loss will inevitably be the rock that breaks your family’s boat. If you let the problem go unchecked. And it’s not even about hearing loss. It’s about ignoring it completely, not wanting to focus on it.
You need to share your fears with your family and friends. It’s only by working together that you can rebuild the bridges of communication. If the people around you know about your illness, they’ll begin to make more of an effort to understand you and to avoid misunderstandings. And such misunderstandings can have serious consequences.
These are just a few examples of the consequences of treatment failure. There are many more. But it’s better to believe what audiologists tell you than to experience it yourself! Don’t play with hearing loss. This is a serious problem, which needs treatment! So don’t put it off if you have hearing loss. The sooner you start treatment, the sooner you can return to a happy and active life! Especially today, hearing care has all the tools to make this possible!
