Effects of Untreated Hearing Loss

“My hearing’s not that bad and I’d rather not wear an ugly hearing aid!” – this is the idea that stops most people from getting their hearing checked out.

Most people are reluctant to get their hearing checked out because they have their outdated perception of what a hearing aid looks like; they’re unaware that contemporary models are sleek and many of them sit snugly in the ear canal, completely invisible to an onlooker. Others are afraid of spending hundreds on tests and devices they’ll never use. This is why audiologists across the world joined forced to create Hearing Aid Clinics – to empower hearing-impaired people with greater access to auditory incentives such as free hearing tests and hearing aid trials at no cost. These incentives are being offered up so that people check out their hearing loss early on.

If you’re wondering why you should book a free hearing test at an audiologist near you soon, read on to learn about the effects of untreated hearing loss:

#1 Risk of dementia and brain atrophy

Hearing loss creeps up slowly and without notice. According to research conducted by John Hopkins, mild hearing loss doubles the risk of dementia and causes the brain to atrophy quicker since it’s spending more energy on just processing sound. If you ignore your mild hearing loss because you think you can get by, you’re only increasing the other health risks such as dementia that you’ll then be susceptible to.

#2 Trouble with balance

According to Frank Lin, M.D., Ph. D, hearing loss mutes important signals that your ears pick up that support your sense of balance. This trouble with balance can manifest as tinnitus or vertigo.

#3 High blood pressure

If you’ve been ignoring your hearing loss for a while, there’s a chance that its symptomatic of an underlying condition such as high blood pressure, that if left unchecked can permanently damage the tiny blood vessels in your ear.

#4 Risk of stroke

Some research suggests that people who experience hearing loss in one ear, i.e., sensorineural hearing loss, may be at risk of a stroke. It’s thought that one cause could be disrupted blood supply in the part of the brain responsible for hearing.

#5 Mental health issues

People who suffer from hearing loss are at greater risk of depression, social anxiety, isolation, etc. According to the Better Hearing Institute, living and working with untreated hearing loss can lower your annual earnings by up to $30,000.

It’s better to safe than sorry, and thankfully, booking a free hearing test is easier than ever thanks to Hearing Aid Clinics. We’ll connect you with an audiologist near you after which you’ll have the option to try auditory solutions like hearing aids at no cost!