If you’ve noticed trouble hearing, whether at work or out with friends at Backyard Social, but have been avoiding getting it checked out, you aren’t alone.
Millions of Americans currently have hearing loss yet are hesitant to seek treatment for their condition. While there are a variety of excuses people come up with to not get help, leaving your hearing loss untreated can cause issues both at work and home and even negatively impact your health.
Five Reasons People Avoid Treating Their Hearing Loss 
- Not realizing they have a hearing problem. Hearing loss can often be a gradual condition. Unfortunately, this can lead many people to assume they don’t have a problem. If someone thinks they hear just fine, it becomes extremely difficult to get them to seek treatment. Oftentimes, family and friends notice a hearing problem before the person who has hearing loss does.
- Fear of stigma. Some people are afraid using hearing aids will cause other people to view them as old or less capable than someone with normal hearing. Others may believe they are too young to possibly need hearing aids. However, hearing loss can affect people of all ages.
- Believing that hearing loss is just a part of getting older. Some older adults believe that hearing loss is inevitable as they age and is not worth seeking treatment. The truth is that using hearing aids and other hearing devices can greatly improve your ability to understand speech and sound in a way that wouldn’t be possible if you left your condition untreated.
- Concern over appearance. Many people have an outdated view of what hearing aids look like. They envision them as large, bulky and extremely obvious to anyone they interact with. However, modern hearing aids are small, sleek and far less visible than older models.
- Worried about the cost of hearing aids. Hearing aids are an important investment in your overall health and well-being. There are different models and pricing options that you and your audiologist can discuss as part of your treatment plan. Some private insurance plans will also offer partial or full coverage for a hearing test and hearing aids. Check with your provider to figure out what benefits you may have.
Why It’s Important To Treat Your Hearing Loss
Multiple studies have shown that untreated hearing loss negatively affects your quality of life. It can lead to reduced social activity and an increase in isolation and make it harder to communicate with others, which can put a strain on your closest relationships.
Healthwise, untreated hearing loss has been linked to higher rates of:
- Anxiety and depression
- Balance problems
- Cognitive decline and dementia
The earlier you treat your hearing loss, the less likely these negative outcomes are to occur. To learn more or to schedule an appointment for a hearing test, call the experts at PDX ENT today.
