Better hearing is probably the most obvious benefit to treating a hearing loss with hearing aids. What you may not know, is that wearing hearing aids can actually have additional benefits that you may not realize. Here are 6 hidden benefits of hearing aids.
Preventing Cognitive Decline
Your brain and your ability to hear are closely connected. Untreated hearing loss can put a lot of strain on your brain. Research from Johns Hopkins and the National Institute on Aging has shown that the longer hearing loss goes untreated, the more chance you have of your brain forgetting how to interpret sounds and speech. The decline in memory function as a result of long term hearing loss can lead to dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Minimizing Tinnitus Symptoms
Tinnitus is the perception of sounds, such as a buzzing, ringing or humming, when there is no sound present. The Hearing Loss Association of America notes that up to 90% of people with tinnitus have an accompanying hearing loss.
Treating the underlying hearing loss can help to reduce symptoms of tinnitus. Therefore, hearing aids may have the added benefit of reducing your tinnitus symptoms. If you’re experiencing symptoms of tinnitus, we recommend booking in an appointment with your local hearing healthcare professional.
Better Communication
Aside from not hearing well, one of the biggest side effects of hearing loss can be difficulty communicating. You could be missing out with time well spent with your family and friends if you can’t hear and properly communicate with them.
Improved Earning Potential
The Better Hearing Institute has published research looking at how earning potential may be impacted by hearing loss. Their study revealed that when hearing loss is left untreated, it can reduce annual earnings by as much as $30,000. However, when hearing aids are implemented, the risk of decreased earning was greatly reduced up to 90%.
Improved Confidence
When you can hear properly, it makes communication with everyone so much easier. Being able to hear and actively engage in social situations around you can have a big impact on your confidence.
Less Tired
You may not realize it, but fatigue is a side-effect of hearing loss.
“I went to a great conference today. It was riveting and I was hooked on pretty much every word. And then I got home and collapsed on the sofa. I’m not just tired, I’m shattered. I’ve had to turn my ears off to rest in silence and my eyes are burning…When I was younger, I was a little embarrassed to be so tired all the time. I would force myself to go out and be busy…all I wanted to do was crawl under the sofa and nap…”
These words, from a report published by the National Institutes of Health, is a perfect description of how hearing loss can leave you exhausted. Given that hearing and your brain function are closely connected, straining to hear causes your brain to work much harder to decipher the sound around you. This can be mentally taxing, and leave you feeling exhausted.
Hearing aids eliminate this problem and therefore reduce the tired feeling that many people with hearing loss experience.
Trust the Professionals at Hearing Balance & Speech Center
If you’d like to book in a hearing assessment, the hearing healthcare specialists at Hearing, Balance & Speech Center are here to help. If you’d like to book an appointment, please call us today on 203-774-5642 or request an appointment online.