As we age, hearing loss is commonly believed to be an inescapable fact of life. Hearing loss is experienced by many older Americans and so is tinnitus or a ringing in the ears. But for such an accepted affliction many people still deny they deal with hearing loss.

A new study from Canada says that loss of hearing is experienced by over 50 percent of Canadians, but no problems were reported at all by more than 77% percent of those. In the US, more than 48 million people have some type of hearing loss, but many do not attempt to deal with it. Whether this denial is deliberate or not is up for debate, but the fact remains that a significant number of individuals allow their loss of hearing to go unchecked – which, later on, could bring about substantial problems.

Why do Some People Not Know They Suffer From Hearing Loss?

That matter is a tricky one. It’s a gradual process when a person loses their hearing, and some people may not recognize that they have a harder time hearing things or understanding people than they used to. A lot of times they blame everybody else around them – the person they’re talking to is mumbling, the TV volume is too low, or there’s too much background noise. There are, unfortunately, a number of things that hearing loss can be blamed on, and having a hearing exam or getting checked out, normally, is not a person’s first reaction.

Conversely, there might be some individuals who know they’re suffering from hearing loss but won’t admit it. Another study conducted in the United States shows that many seniors simply refuse to admit that they have a hearing problem. They do what they can to mask their issue, either because they don’t want to admit to having a problem or because of perceived stigmas surrounding hearing loss.

The concern with both of these scenarios is that by denying or not recognizing you have a hearing problem you could actually be negatively influencing your general health.

Neglected Hearing Loss Can Have a Catastrophic Impact

Hearing loss does not only impact your ears – it has been linked to different ailments like depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline, and it can also be a sign of heart disease and high blood pressure.

Research has revealed that individuals who have managed their loss of hearing using cognitive therapy, changes of diet and hearing aids have better overall health and longer life expectancy.

It’s crucial to recognize the indications of hearing loss – continual ringing or humming in the ears, difficulty having conversations, having to turn up the volume of your radio or TV.

What Can You Do to Manage Hearing Loss?

There are several treatment methods you can undertake to get your loss of hearing under control. Hearing aids are the most prevalent type of treatment, and hearing aid technology has grown leaps and bounds over the last several years so it’s unlikely you’ll encounter the same problems your grandparents or parents did. Modern hearing aids come with Bluetooth functionality so they can connect wirelessly to your smartphone or TV and they are capable of filtering out background noise and wing.

A changing your diet could impact the health of your hearing if you have anemia. Since anemia iron deficiency has been demonstrated to cause hearing loss, people who have tinnitus can be helped by eating foods that are high in iron.

The most essential thing you can do, though, is to have your hearing examined regularly.

Do you suspect that you’re suffering from loss of hearing? Make an appointment for a hearing assessment.