Do you have hearing loss? If so, you are part of an ever-growing population living with this disability. It’s estimated that around 50 million people in the US alone live with hearing loss and due to misinformation around listening safety, this number continues to grow. Hearing loss makes it difficult to connect to the people in your life when you are out in busy places with multiple conversations and sometimes inside your own home. Do …
A Link between Tinnitus, Anxiety, and Sleep
Hearing loss is an issue which begins with the ears, but it quickly ripples out to affect nearly every aspect of our life. That is because hearing loss fundamentally is a communication issue, affecting how we connect to others and inherently to ourselves. Even beyond communication hurdles is tinnitus—a phantom sound which often presents itself and can at times feel unescapable. That is because tinnitus has no external source, but your own mind. It can …
Adults with Hearing Loss at Higher Risk for Unemployment
It’s estimated that hearing loss affects one in eight people in the United States (13 percent, or 30 million) aged 12 years or older in both ears, and its effects are often greatly underestimated. What starts as an ear issue, if unaddressed can impede daily conversation, put a strain on the most solid relationships in your life, cause chronic depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and increase the risk of accidents leading to hospitalization. Despite the severity of …
Memory Loss & Psychological Distress with Hearing Loss
While hearing loss is an ear issue, its effects are often underestimated. What begins with common misunderstandings often escalates into feelings of chronic depression, social anxiety, and isolation. Over time, if unaddressed hearing loss can amplify into mobility issues and cognitive decline increasing the risk of dementia. Recent research has highlighted that untreated hearing loss can contribute to memory loss and psychological distress. Memory Loss, & Psychological Distress Psychological distress refers to non-specific symptoms of stress, …
Athletes and Hearing Loss
Remember the last time you were at a big sporting event. It’s not only the thrill of the game but the cheering fans, the booming music when your team scores that create the experience. It can also be a huge risk for your ears. If you’ve ever left the stadium with ringing in your ears, then unfortunately it means you’ve sustained some hearing loss. Understanding Decibels Sound is measured in decibels. When a sound reaches …
When to Take a Hearing Test
When was the last time you were in a crowded room, and you struggled to hear over the noise? It’s normal to have to ask people to repeat themselves now and then but when this becomes commonplace it can signal a larger issue. Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic conditions in the US, caused by exposure to loud noise, ototoxic chemicals, head injury, chronic ear infections, or even old age. It can …
The Benefits of Being Social for Older Americans
Inside jokes with loved ones, lunch with friends, and even going to a party every now and then, is not only fun, but essential for our health. Humans are social by nature. It helps us feel connected, engaged in life, and helps give us a greater sense of purpose. Socializing not only staves off feelings of loneliness, but aids in keeping our memory sharp, our minds quick and can aid in increasing a general sense of …
Prioritize Better Hearing in the New Year!
A new year rapidly approaches, which means it’s time to make resolutions. Go to the gym, pursue a new creative endeavor, change jobs, save up for a trip – these are all great goals for the new year. If improving your health is on the list, we’ve got a tip for you: prioritize better hearing! For people aged 50 and above, hearing specialists recommend an annual hearing test, just as you would with an …
Can Nutrients Support Better Hearing?
A well-balanced diet is one of the most critical factors in maintaining good health. Doctors tell us to cut back on sugars and fats and incorporate more whole foods into our diets as we get older. Heart disease and arthritis are the two most common medical conditions in the US; both conditions can be managed with changes in our diet. With hearing loss as the third most common medical condition, it may not surprise that …
Common Excuses for Not Buying Hearing Aids
One of the most prevalent medical concerns that older persons face is hearing loss. Hearing loss affects almost one out of every eight persons. Even though hearing loss is a public health crisis, it is undertreated. Hearing aids could assist around 29 million persons in the United States, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. People use a variety of justifications to postpone dealing with their hearing loss. The following are …