Hearing loss impacts a person’s quality of life. As this loss progresses, the person might find they ask people to repeat themselves or avoid conversations completely. Background noise amplifies the effects of hearing loss, and people begin feeling isolated while in a crowd.
However, there are many other ways hearing loss affects a person. Sadly, many people don’t realize the impact this has on their lives. They see the hearing aid costs and believe they will be fine. In the process, they do damage to their health. What side effects of hearing loss might a person experience in their day-to-day life?
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Stress and Hearing Loss
Stress and hearing loss go hand-in-hand. Stress brings about physical changes in the body, such as a rapid heartbeat. This minimizes blood flow to the ear, and the ear cannot function normally. Stress is also associated with high blood pressure, which can interfere with the receiving and processing of sound.
As hearing loss progresses, a person may become more stressed. They cannot hear what other people are saying and become anxious as a result. This leads to more stress, and a vicious cycle begins.
Mental health professionals help individuals deal with their anxiety and stress. Hearing specialists are of great help to those who suffer from hearing loss. Work with both professionals to improve hearing and reduce the stress and anxiety that come with not being able to communicate clearly with others.
Diminished Overall Health
When a person cannot hear clearly, they may avoid social situations. This isolation negatively affects their overall health. They may avoid the grocery store and eat unhealthy meals, leading to weight gain.
In addition, the person may not be able to hear a horn blaring or a smoke alarm. As a result, they end up in dangerous situations. Seeking help from a hearing professional can ensure they hear clearly and will be safe and more aware of their surroundings.
According to The American Journal of Psychiatry, hearing loss often leads to a decline in cognitive abilities. A person may forget important details or find they can no longer concentrate as their hearing loss progresses. Hearing aids improve a person’s scores on cognitive tests.
Reduced Job Performance
Sadly, many people lose their hearing because of job-related activities. For every 10,000 workers, there were 1.4 cases of occupational hearing loss in 2019, down from 1.7 cases per 10,000 workers in 2016. However, a single case is one case too many.
Hearing loss interferes with a person’s ability to communicate with others. Co-workers and management may believe the person with hearing loss is ignoring them or uninterested in what they are saying. This may cause hard feelings among employees and could lead to job loss for the person with diminished hearing.
Directions may be misheard or completely missed. At times, this can put the safety of the employee with hearing loss and others in the workplace at risk. Addressing hearing loss is crucial to prevent problems such as these.
People often assume a loss of hearing is due to their advancing age. However, that is not always the case. Any person who believes they have diminished hearing should speak to a specialist right away.
Many cases of hearing loss can be treated with the help of hearing aids. In addition, there are treatments for most other types of hearing loss. Make an appointment today to learn the cause of the hearing loss and how best to address do. Doing so improves a person’s quality of life in every way.
