The new year has begun, and you’re probably looking for the perfect resolution to start 2024 on the right foot. When considering resolutions, many focus on improving their overall health. While stocking up on kale and joining North Park Fitness are great ways to begin your health-forward year, addressing your hearing loss may be another excellent facet of your New-Year-New-You plan.
Approximately 15.5% of U.S. adults report trouble hearing. Although hearing aids can improve communication and minimize the negative impacts of hearing loss, it takes people with hearing loss an average of seven years before seeking treatment.
Resistance to starting hearing loss treatment may arise from fear of admitting the severity of the condition, self-consciousness regarding the way hearing aids look, worries that treatment won’t be effective and more. Learning more about hearing loss treatment and its benefits is an excellent way to ensure confidence and certainty when taking the leap into hearing aids in 2024.
How Do Hearing Aids Work?
Hearing aids improve communication by amplifying sound through a three-part system. A microphone collects sound and converts it into a digital signal, an amplifier raises the strength and volume of the digital signal and a speaker brings the amplified sound directly into the ear. Many hearing aids are also equipped with noise suppression and tinnitus management features.
What Are the Benefits of Hearing Loss Treatment?
In addition to providing easier communication, benefits of hearing loss treatment include but are not limited to:
- Improved relationships. Clear and strong communication is essential to a healthy relationship. With hearing aids, you can ensure that misunderstood or unheard questions, requests and more are not causing strife or strain in your relationships.
- Independence. Hearing loss can make simple things like speaking on the phone, grocery shopping and more feel difficult to accomplish alone. Hearing aids allow you to perform these daily tasks with ease, restoring your independence.
- Decreased risk of falls. One study found that those with hearing loss of at least 25 decibels were nearly three times more likely to have a history of falling than their normal-hearing counterparts. Increased risk of falling may be due to decreased awareness of your environment and cognitive overload from the effort it takes to navigate the world with hearing loss. Hearing aids can increase your awareness and decrease cognitive load to help prevent future falls.
Improved communication, relationships, independence and a decreased risk of falls are just a few of the benefits hearing aids can provide. To start your year with hearing loss treatment, contact San Diego ENT today to make an appointment with one of our specialists.