The effects of hearing loss can impact many aspects of daily living, significantly reducing the quality of a person’s life.
Depending on the nature of the hearing problem, those afflicted may experience the below hearing loss effects:
- Restricted ability to interact with and enjoy time with friends, family, and coworkers.
- Missing vital information at work or in emergency situations.
- Misunderstandings due to reduced comprehension.
- Heightened stress or anxiety due to the extra effort of understanding the world.
- Unnecessary fatigue from heightened stress and anxiety.
- A possibly shorter life!
The Emotional Side Of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can isolate a person from their families, their friends and their peers. People with hearing loss often become frustrated, even in normal situations. The effects of hearing loss can cause immense strain on relationships, as people feel as if they are being pushed away or talked down to. This is a major reason why it is important to understand just how hearing loss affects your life.
As frustration increases and participation in family, recreational, and work life decreases, preexisting emotional disorders can easily become aggravated. Issues like generalized anxiety disorder and depression are amplified beyond their normal levels. These conditions make it very hard to talk about hearing loss and even harder to help them realize they need professional assistance for their hearing problem.
In some cases, untreated hearing loss may cause some people to be misdiagnosed with other illnesses. In particular, some older patients have been falsely diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease because of the symptomatic similarities.
A 1996 University of South Florida study of memory disorders found that 94 percent of respondents suffered from untreated hearing loss. The study found strong evidence that hearing instrument use, combined with effective follow-up care, may alleviate many of the symptoms commonly attributed to Alzheimer’s disease.
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Early identification plays a vital role in limiting the adverse effects of hearing loss. If you or someone you love may be in need of a simple hearing evaluation, please contact our hearing experts today.