There have been some interesting studies over the years that connect hearing health with cognition and lifestyle health—some good, some… slightly concerning.
The consensus is that untreated hearing loss can lead to a few negative mental and physical ailments, including cognitive function decline, balance disorders, dementia and, for some, even fatal consequences.
It’s daunting to think about, but there’s a very easy solution: regular hearing care. Most people get their eyes tested, their teeth cleaned, and their physical health checked annually, but getting your ears cleaned and hearing tested often falls by the wayside.
Recently, I came across another study with a much more optimistic finding: hearing aids may actually boost your lifespan if worn regularly and correctly. How amazing does that sound?
This study, published by Janet Choi, MD, examines how regular use of hearing aids affected almost ten thousand participants with some level of hearing loss challenges. Her findings were astonishing: patients who wore hearing aids regularly had a 24 percent lower risk of mortality than the patients who didn’t wear them.
How Do Hearing Aids Increase My Life Expectancy?
Choi makes a point to note that hearing aids are not the one-stop solution to living a longer life. People with hearing loss challenges who made sure to wear their hearing aids daily were the ones with lowered risk of mortality; it’s about keeping up with wearing and looking after them.
Hearing loss happens gradually, and often people neglect to wear their hearing aids daily—whether due to the associated negative stigmas, forgetting to charge them, or deciding that their hearing loss isn’t really that bad.
Choi’s study found that just 12 percent of her participants wore their hearing aids regularly outside of the study. Negative stigmas often make people hesitate to get them, as the image of a clunky, off-white hearing aid behind your ear isn’t pretty!
These days, hearing aids are not only much more stylish, but they’re more powerful and discreet, to boot. Advanced hearing aid technology has improved in leaps and bounds, and some hearing aids are completely invisible inside your ear.
Professional hearing assessments, routine ear cleanings, and routinely wearing hearing aids all contribute to improving your hearing health and, in turn, improving your holistic health along with it.
Hearing loss affects millions of people across America, but very few investigate treating it. Professional hearing care and hearing aid technology can make a huge difference to your life expectancy—if you take your hearing care seriously.
How South Sound Audiology Can Help You
If you or a loved one has been considering hearing treatment for your hearing loss challenge, our team provides patient-centered services that keep your holistic health at front of mind.
Don’t wait until your hearing loss challenge has further affected your life to act.
If you have questions you’d like answered first, feel free to request a callback on our website; a member of our team will get in touch with you as soon as we can.
For those who are looking to take that first step sooner rather than later, call us at (360) 464-9780.
