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Aging gracefully is an art form. As we get older, our health concerns shift and adapt to changes in our body. One of the most common health issues people face as they age is hearing loss. This is because permanent hearing damage accrues throughout our lifetime and our auditory system becomes more delicate as we age. Hearing loss doesn’t just affect your ears – hearing problems limit your social life, mental health and even your cognitive functioning.
Nowadays, people are starting to recognize that hearing well is a key component in managing your overall health. How well you hear shapes a lot of your mobility and quality of life. Most hearing loss is permanent, which means ignoring the problem doesn’t make it go away. In fact, leaving hearing loss untreated can often exacerbate the issue. Even though hearing damage can’t be reversed, the great news is that it can be effectively treated with hearing aids.
Hearing Aids Are Little Wonders
Hearing aids are better than ever. Long gone are the days of clunky, easily spotted devices. Today’s hearing aids are tiny, sleek and discreet – usually resting behind the ear and tucked inside the ear canal. Their low profile means they are next to invisible to the casual observer. While this low profile is great for the wearer, it means you may not even know how many of your friends and loved ones already use hearing aids to help navigate the world!
Not only have hearing aids gotten an updated look, they’ve also remarkably improved their functionality to help you hear in even the most difficult situations. Modern hearing aids make use of rapid digital sound processing to deliver nuance, direction and balance to what you hear. Hearing aids can be precisely programmed to meet your hearing challenges where you need them the most. Many new models also make use of connectivity with other digital devices, being able to stream audio direct from smartphones and other devices directly into your ear for better clarity and comprehension.
Hearing Aids Support Your Quality of Life
Not being able to understand speech and other incoming sound can be alienating. In people with untreated hearing loss remarkable increases occurred in their rates of anxiety, isolation and depression, resulting in a generally lower quality of life. This connection between mental and social health and hearing loss is based on the alienation untreated hearing problems can lead to. When we don’t feel like we are being understood by others, or having trouble understanding those around us, things we once found pleasurable become a burden.
Hearing aids help you stay connected to the people and places you love most. Maybe you’ve taken a break from trying new restaurants because the loud noise becomes confusing? Hearing aids help bring directional hearing into play and can even mimic selective hearing to push background noise to the side while you concentrate on the conversation you want to be having.
Hearing Aids Help Your Overall Physical Health
The mental and social advantage of using hearing aids is further buoyed by the physical benefits as well. Untreated hearing loss taxes our entire body as our mind races to keep pace with the speech and sound all around. Asking our brain to fill in the gaps that our hearing doesn’t provide slows us down and can even cause cognitive strain.
Alongside an increased risk of heart disease, dementia and diabetes, unchecked hearing difficulty increases our risk of having a physical accident. When our concentration is absorbed by hearing it leaves fewer mental assets available for other important jobs, such as balancing our body. Unfortunately, when our balance and coordination is thrown off, it is far likelier we will unexpectedly fall or be unable to physically avoid accidents that may take months to recover from.
Hear It Again at Encore Hearing
While hearing loss makes your life harder, hearing aids can effectively restore hearing and protect you from some of the ill effects of hearing loss. Where do you start? If you are new to hearing specialty care, setting up an annual hearing exam is a great place to begin, and Encore Hearing is happy to welcome your visit. Not only does a regular hearing check-up help establish your hearing strengths and challenges, it can also help you connect with the right solutions for your needs. Facing hearing challenges? Call Encore Hearing today!