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Imagine hearing loss and the majority of people picture an elderly person with an old-fashioned hearing aid saying, “What’s that sonny”? The fact is, hearing loss has escalated dramatically among all age groups and it affects more than just your ability to hear. Alarming consequences result from failing to get it treated. Based only on these four, it’s worth having your hearing tested.

1. Cognitive Decline

While you might not have previously known it, hearing loss can influence your general health. Brain health and cognitive function are the most significant examples. There is evidence that some conditions people associate with aging, like memory loss, might actually be caused by hearing decline.

When it comes to hearing loss, the brain’s innate ability to adjust to sensory changes backfires. For somebody with regular hearing, a sound is processed through the inner ear in a way that the brain can understand. It’s that mechanism of hearing that enables you to identify the difference between the music coming from your car radio and the music the ice cream truck plays as it heads down your street.

Even if you’re not aware of it, the brain encounters sound every microsecond. Air hissing in through a vent and other background sounds are around you even if you are resting in a quiet room. Your brain interprets this as a sound you don’t need to hear, so you don’t even notice it.

This stimulus is something the brain comes to expect. Suddenly, when there is loss of hearing, the brain doesn’t get the same quality or quantity of sound. It still expects it to be there, though and strains to find it. The stress on the brain and absence of stimuli can result in cognitive decline that raises your chances of dementia later on in your life. Memory loss and cognitive decline are forty percent more common in seniors with hearing loss, according to studies. Even more compelling is the fact that people have been shown to improve their cognitive ability if they suffer from hearing loss and get hearing aids.

2. Stomach Trouble

That’s not as far-fetched as it seems. The changes you experience due to hearing loss have been associated with side effects like:

  • Anxiety
  • Upset stomach
  • Muscle tension

The constant strain can manifest intestinal problems like:

  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • Abdominal cramps


3. Mental Health Problems



Over the years, many mental health problems have been linked to untreated hearing loss such as:

  • Negativism
  • Social withdrawal
  • Anger
  • Lack of focus
  • Irritability

Psychological anxiety and sadness are the outcome when a person can’t communicate successfully and stops trying.

4. Relationship Troubles



  • Thirty-seven percent of women surveyed reported getting irritated when someone with hearing loss wasn’t listening to them


Main Line Audiology Consultants, PC