Truth: On average, people wait 5 to 7 years before seeking help for their hearing loss.4 Five to seven years is a very long time to have to struggle with your hearing. Why do people wait that long? There are many reasons why people live with hearing loss. Fewer than 16 percent of family doctors
Myth: Hearing loss affects only older adults. Hearing loss does not discriminate. About two-thirds of all hearing loss is in people under 65 years of age.5 Even more alarming is that today 1 in 5 teenagers (ages 12 – 19) have hearing loss in one or both ears from listening to music too loud, illness, medications or
Myth: Hearing aids are like eyeglasses. Hearing and vision are both major senses that connect us to the world. Hearing aids and eyeglasses are frequently compared as assistive devices; however, the two can hardly be compared. Eyeglasses are a mechanism to immediately assist the eye to focus and do not require vision training to wear
Truth: Hearing health is overall health. Hearing occurs in the brain. The pathway to signal transmission and comprehension is quite complex. Hearing loss due to injury, illness, excessive sound, and aging affects our brain health and puts us at increased risk of cognitive decline. It also affects our physical health with an increased risk of
Myth: Hearing loss is only in my ears. Untreated hearing loss increases risk of cognitive decline, dementia, falls, social isolation, and depression. It’s theorized that the “cognitive load” on the brain may take away resources the brain uses for other functions, such as short-term memory, and affects our ability of spatial awareness. Researchers cite treating hearing
Myth: I don’t need hearing aids. My hearing is mostly fine. When you have a hearing loss in some frequencies and not others, it is easier to dismiss it as unimportant. However, even a mild hearing loss can adversely affect your cognitive capabilities, work, home, and social life. Fortunately, the brain’s neuroplasticity means that treating hearing loss
Healthy hearing results in positive health outcomes, increases social engagement, improves communication, and lowers the risk of depression. It is apparent that quality of life can decrease when the sense of hearing is impaired (see consequences of hearing loss). However, it is also important to understand how much can be gained when healthy hearing is present. It
When to worry about sudden hearing loss and what to do about it. Nine years ago, Richard Einhorn woke up in a hotel room at 5 a.m., “my head buzzing with a strange loud noise,” the 67-year-old New York City music composer recalled. Startled, he jumped out of bed, and promptly fell over. “I couldn’t
Hearing loss is the largest modifiable risk factor for developing dementia, exceeding that of smoking, high blood pressure, lack of exercise and social isolation.