Hearing aids could help approximately 28 million people. Needless to say, when we talk about data like that, we usually mean that those 28 million individuals would hear their surroundings a little more clearly if they had some help (in the form of a specialized device). But your hearing aids can also help you take advantage of some other health advantages.
It turns out that something as straight forward as using your hearing aids could help your mental and physical health. Everything from depression to a risk of falling can be slowed or even stopped by these devices. In more ways than one, your hearing aids can help you stay on your feet.
Mental Health Benefits of Hearing Aids
Modern medical studies have solidly demonstrated a connection between hearing loss and cognitive decline. Mental illnesses such as dementia, cognitive decline, anxiety, and depression, in line with current thinking, can be triggered by hearing loss as a consequence of a combination of physical, mental and social factors.
So it’s not surprising that the latest analyses has suggested that hearing aids may have substantial mental health benefits.
Reducing Your Risk of Dementia
Your chances of dementia can be reduced, as reported by one study, by nearly 20%. That’s a wonderful benefit when the only thing you have to do is remember to wear your hearing aids every day.
In other research, the onset of dementia was delayed by as much as two years by using hearing aids. Further research has to be conducted to help explain and duplicate these findings, but it’s definitely encouraging.
Anxiety And Depression Can be Decreased
Countless individuals suffer from depression and anxiety even if hearing loss is not a problem for them. But there is plenty of evidence to indicate that those with hearing loss are at a higher risk of developing both depression and anxiety as time passes.
When you have hearing aids, you are likely to stay more mentally focused and socially engaged. Hearing aids can be especially helpful if those factors are contributing to depression and anxiety.
You Won’t be as Lonely
While dementia may sound much more extreme, loneliness can be a serious issue for people who suffer from untreated hearing loss, social solitude often being the cause and adding fuel to the fire. That social isolation can cause considerable changes to your disposition. So being able to continue to be social and involved thanks to your hearing aid can be a big advantage.
And this is a good reason why, for instance, your hearing aid can help protect against conditions like depression. All of these health concerns, to some extent, are in some manner linked.
The Physical Benefits of Hearing Aids
There’s some data which indicates that as hearing loss symptoms become more apparent, your danger of stroke escalates. But this research is in preliminary phases. The most pronounced (and perceptible) physical advantage of hearing aids is a little more straightforward: you won’t fall as often.
There are a couple of reasons for this:
- Situational awareness: This means you’ll be more capable of steering clear of obstacles that could cause a fall.
- Fall detection: Sometimes, it’s not the fall that’s dangerous. Instead, it’s your inability to get back up that creates possible danger. Many new designs of hearing aids come with fall detection built in. With certain settings enabled, when you have a fall, a call will automatically be made to one of your pre-programmed emergency contacts so they will know to check up on you.
Falling can have rather significant health effects, particularly as you age. So your general health can be protected by decreasing damage from falls or avoiding them entirely.
Wear Your Hearing Aids Everyday
It’s worth noting that all of these benefits apply to people who have hearing conditions. If you have healthy hearing, then wearing a hearing aid will likely not decrease your risk of dementia, for instance.
But if you do suffer from hearing loss, the best thing you can do for your ears, and for overall health, is to use your hearing aids.