Hearing Loss is a Serious Issue (Lyndi Hofstra)

People may take good hearing for granted, until a problem arises. They don’t realize hearing loss is more common than they might think. It is estimated that
34 million Americans (1 out of every 100 people) suffer from a hearing problem, according to the Better Hearing Institute.

Hearing loss is a physical impairment, but because hearing loss is invisible, it’s easy to forget the problems it causes. You need to recognize the impact your hearing loss has on your family and friends, as well as yourself.

Struggling to communicate with a hearing impaired person, can be exhausting for everyone involved. Communication shapes most areas of our lives. From talking with a friend or child, to a simple transaction at the store. Your ability to hear well is important. When we are able to communicate successfully, we can participate in conversations, our relationships are more meaningful and we have less stress in our lives.

Untreated hearing loss can be disabling by limiting communication and social connections, leading to fatigue, tension and impaired memory. Reduced job performance and earning power have been linked to untreated hearing problems, per recent studies done by the National Institute of Health.

A major reason why millions of Americans living with untreated hearing loss should take action is safety. Studies have associated untreated hearing loss to reduced alertness, unheard traffic sounds, door bells, telephones, alarms, and cries for help. This compromises the safety of these with a hearing loss, and everyone around them. Those living with untreated hearing loss, also may not be aware, that the failure to take corrective action could result in the brain actually “forgetting” how to hear and understand speech. This

Hearing loss is a serious issue condition is called auditory deprivation, and the longer the period before treatment, the more likely it is that the brain will “forget” how to process speech, even after treatment. Almost 95 percent of Americans with a hearing loss, can be treated with hearing aids. Nine out of ten hearing aid users report improvements in their quality of life. Acceptance of a person’s hearing loss allows them to move on, to the next level, and try some of the latest hearing solutions, which in turn can reward them with dramatically improved lives and transform relationships.

No one chooses a hearing loss, but doing nothing about the loss is a choice. Better hearing is available to most people, all you have to do is take the first step forward.
Call a hearing professional and get a complete hearing test, and find out how to improve your hearing and your quality of life. Better hearing is not a luxury, but
an investment in your ability tocommunicate with people.