Hearing loss is a very common issue, but people often underestimate the impact that it can have on your life. The obvious difficulties include hearing people speak or trouble hearing the television. But when you consider the knock-on effect that hearing loss can have on a person’s life, you begin to understand just how serious it is. There are a lot of other side effects of hearing loss that you probably have not considered before. Unfortunately, this often means that people are reluctant to seek the advice of an audiologist. This is especially true of younger people that may feel self-conscious about wearing hearing aids.
If you have experienced hearing loss in some capacity but you are yet to see an audiologist about it, these four surprising side effects of hearing loss should convince you to book an appointment.
Poor Health Outcomes
The list of ways that hearing loss can affect your overall health is endless because it makes it difficult to hear instructions. This is causing a lot of problems in the doctor’s office because patients misunderstand the advice that they are being given. That may be advice on how to improve their diet or rest an injury. But in some cases, it may have more serious consequences if patients mishear information about taking medication or preparing for surgery. A study by the University of Michigan found that the use of hearing aids resulted in a decrease in ER visits in older people and this is, in part, down to their ability to understand instructions from their doctor.
Arguments In Relationships
There are lots of different reasons that couples argue, but people do not often realize that hearing loss can be one of them. When you have hearing loss, it may appear to your partner that you are ignoring them, when in fact, you did not hear them speaking. Hearing loss also makes it difficult to gauge the tone of voice when somebody is speaking and this can lead to misunderstandings. Difficulty hearing will also lead to an overall lack of communication in your relationship. These issues cause tension in relationships and so hearing loss is a common source of arguments.
If your partner has noticed a change in your hearing, they may suggest that you see an audiologist and ask about hearing aids. But if you are reluctant to do so, this will be a big source of tension between you as well. The results of a survey on people with hearing loss found that one in sixteen people reported that their spouse threatened divorce if they did not seek help for their hearing.
Social Isolation
People that experience hearing loss find that social situations become very challenging. If you are in a loud environment with a lot of people, it is hard to follow conversations and engage with them. This is why people that are hard of hearing will often stay quiet in social situations or avoid them altogether because they are unable to enjoy them. Unfortunately, that can have a serious impact on your overall health. Studies show that your risk of dementia increases by 64% if you are socially isolated. A lack of social interaction also increases your risk of developing mental health issues like depression as well. However, research suggests that people that wear hearing aids are at no greater risk than their peers. If you find that social situations are more difficult as a result of hearing loss, it is important that you see an audiologist sooner rather than later.
Dangerous Driving
When you are driving, your sight is your most important sense. However, hearing is more important than people realize. Being able to hear traffic around you, hear the horns of other cars or tell when your turn signal is on are all important to your safety when driving. On a busy road with lots of noise, it is difficult for somebody with hearing loss to pick out specific sounds, and that means that you are more likely to miss dangers. Hearing loss may not always have a significant impact on your ability to drive, but it does make it more dangerous. Hearing aids will make it a lot easier to pick out those specific sounds on the road so you are more aware of your surroundings.
Hearing loss does not only affect your ability to hear people speak or listen to the TV or radio. It can actually have a lot of surprising effects on your life as a whole. If you think that you may be experiencing hearing loss, you should call Kampsen Hearing at (813) 369-5692.