Hearing loss is a problem that is fairly common these days, since it affects 36 million people in America. Recent research suggests that it is important not to take hearing loss lightly, due to its significant negative impact on your cognitive skills.
Researchers have found that those who do not seek any treatment for their hearing loss suffer from deterioration of their cognitive skills. This can eventually lead to problems like Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Even a mild form of hearing loss can have an adverse effect on your cognitive skills.
Using hearing aids appears to slow the rate of cognitive decline due to hearing loss. Those who use hearing aids score higher on memory tests and other cognitive tests than those who do not use hearing aids for their hearing loss.
Hearing loss affects more than just our ears. It can affect our sense of well-being in terms of our physical as well as mental health. We face problems such as loneliness and social isolation due to hearing loss. This in turn can lead to anxiety, depression, and even dementia.
Our physical health also takes a nose dive when we develop hearing loss. We run a higher risk of having hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and even diabetes. Moreover, those with hearing loss run a significantly higher risk of sustaining injuries due to falling since our hearing also maintains our sense of balance. With so many problems that result from hearing loss, it is important to seek help from a hearing care professional at the earliest signs of hearing damage.