If I Can Still Hear, Is It OK to Put Off Getting Hearing Aids?

It is common to think of all the things you may have done when you were younger that may be finally catching up with you. For instance, did you attend loud concerts, arena sports, nightclubs or even blast music in your headphones when you were younger? It probably felt fun at the time, but it’s most likely created some complicated hearing loss now that you are a bit older. Often, adults recognize the first signs of age-related hearing loss in their 40s or 50s. It may start as just having trouble hearing certain people or in deciphering conversation in noisy rooms. It’s easy to think that it is okay to put off addressing a slight hearing loss until it becomes worse.

Should You Wait to Get Hearing Aids?

It’s common to be avoidant when it comes to addressing your hearing loss. Besides the significant financial investment that comes with hearing aids they often symbolize old age or the stigma of disability. It’s important to address this stigma and understand that ignoring or putting off treating your hearing aids can have devastating effects down the line. 

What Happens When You Put Off Getting Hearing Aids?

Embracing a hearing loss is essential in helping you and others seek the help they need before it can escalate into a bigger deal. When you have hearing loss it can seem like a slight issue, but it is already impacting your brain. Hearing loss often first manifests as the loss of certain tones, pitches and consonants. This is why some people who speak in lower or higher pitches may be hard to hear. It also leaves holes in conversation. This forces your brain to strain to make sense of what is being said. It can leave you feeling exhausted after a social interaction which in the past would have left you feeling inspired. As this continues over time it can have devastating effects on your social life. Your relationships at work and home become strained and loneliness and self-isolation sink in.

Hearing Loss and Your Brain 

Even in the early stages of hearing loss your brain is forced to strain. Studies have shown that this can cause people on average to score noticeably lower on cognitive testing when compared to those with normal or treated hearing loss. This is because hearing loss deprives your brain of certain sound ranges and information. The areas of the brain that aren’t stimulated can cause atrophy due to lack of stimulation. Brain cells can become damaged or destroyed, or become rewired to other areas of the brain, such as assisting your brain in interpreting information coming in from the other senses. This can cause lasting damage when hearing loss is not treated preemptively. 

Hearing Loss and Your Relationships

Your friends and family will stick with you no matter what, but years of untreated hearing loss can build up into a strain on relationships and even resentment. Your significant other may resent having to repeat things constantly to you or having to act as your interpreter. Communication is a cornerstone to a healthy relationship, and as this decays due to unaddressed hearing loss, the quality of your relationships can decay. Even after treatment with hearing aids, this will take a lot of effort and time to heal.

Hearing Loss and Your Job

The World Health Organization projects that loss of productivity, due to unemployment and premature retirement among people with hearing loss, is estimated to cost $105 billion annually. Meanwhile, the  Better Hearing Institute estimates that lifetime earnings for those with untreated hearing loss average 50 to 70% less than their typical-hearing peers in the U.S., and can decrease household income on average by up to $12,000 per year, on average, depending on the degree of hearing loss. This is because communication at work is essential. While there are protections in the workplace for people with hearing loss, it is important to be open and address a hearing loss, in order to enjoy these accommodations.

Treating Hearing Loss Early

You may not think that a slight hearing loss is an issue at all, but you may be missing more sounds than you think. The sooner you seek treatment, the sooner you can protect your mental health, your relationship and your job. The first step is to schedule a hearing test and identify the problem. Schedule a hearing test today!