Hearing loss is something that affects many people as they get older and, in a lot of cases, it cannot be avoided. It’s a natural part of aging, but there are treatments available so you can manage it and still live a full life. There are also some simple things that you can do to protect your ears and reduce the chances of hearing loss in the future. 

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Many people underestimate how big the impact of hearing loss can be, which is why ear health is often neglected. Most people assume that it just means not being able to hear as well, but the effects stretch much farther than that. If you experience hearing loss, it is important that you get your ears checked right away and, if necessary, you get some hearing aids. If you already use hearing aids, it is important to keep up with hearing aid maintenance so your hearing issues do not worsen prematurely. Unfortunately, people are reluctant to take these steps because they don’t realize how badly hearing loss can affect your life. Aside from the obvious impact, there are a lot of unexpected problems caused by hearing loss. You may be surprised by some of these side effects of hearing loss. 

Cognitive Decline 

As you get older, it is important to keep your brain active and reduce the chances of cognitive decline. Unfortunately, if you suffer from hearing loss, it can speed up cognitive decline in a big way. You may not realize it, but you are constantly hearing sounds, but your brain filters out a lot of the useless sound so you do not register it. It also helps you to determine the difference between sounds. However, when you experience hearing loss and these sounds are no longer there, it can confuse your brain. It knows that you should be hearing sounds, so it struggles to find them, and this causes a lot of stress on the brain. The lack of stimulus and the extra stress on the brain can lead to a higher chance of cognitive decline. Older people have a forty percent higher chance of developing issues with memory loss if they suffer from hearing loss, so it is vital that you protect your hearing. 

Mental Health Issues 

When you suffer from hearing loss, it is very difficult to engage in social situations. If you are in a loud restaurant, for example, it is hard to pick out conversation over the general background noise. This means that people with hearing loss struggle to get involved in conversations and they may feel self conscious about constantly asking people to repeat themselves. Gradually, over time, they stop attending social situations or they end up sitting quietly in the corner and not engaging with people, and this can be very isolating. Social interaction is very important for our mental health, and the feeling that they are missing out can lead to feelings of isolation and depression in a lot of people. Getting treatment for your hearing loss will allow you to engage in social situations again and help to prevent the mental health issues that are associated with hearing issues. 

Relationship Issues 

Communication in relationships is important, but hearing loss makes that very difficult. It is easy for you to mishear people and that can lead to tensions with your partner if they feel that you are not listening to them. Many couples argue about the issue of hearing loss as well because the people around you will often notice the problem before you do. When people insist that their hearing is fine and they don’t need to seek treatment, this can lead to arguments with the people around them that know that they do have a hearing issue. 

Reduced Earnings 

Hearing loss can impact your ability to work, and studies show that people with hearing loss earn less money, on average. If you mishear instructions from your boss, for example, that can lead to more mistakes, so you are far less likely to be considered for promotions. Hearing loss also creates hurdles in any job where talking on the phone is important because this is particularly difficult for the hard of hearing. The reduction in earnings due to hearing loss will add up over time, and it can make it impossible to reach your career goals as well. 

Hearing loss isn’t as simple as not being able to hear very well. It has so many side effects and it can really affect your quality of life, so if you notice a difference in your hearing, seek treatment right away.