Hearing loss – it’s generally considered a fact of life as we age. Hearing loss is experienced by lots of older Americans and so is tinnitus or a ringing in the ears. But if a condition like this is so accepted, why is it that so many people deny that they have loss of hearing?

A new study from Canada says that loss of hearing is experienced by more than 50 percent of Canadians, but no concerns were reported at all by more than 77% percent of those. In the United States, more than 48 million people have some type of hearing loss, but many do not attempt to deal with it. It’s up for debate whether this denial is on purpose or not, but it’s still true that a substantial number of people let their hearing loss go unchecked – which could bring about considerable problems down the road.

Why is Loss of Hearing Not Recognized by Some people?

It’s a complex question. Loss of hearing is a gradual process, and some people may not notice that they have a harder time hearing things or understanding people than they used to. Or, more commonly, they could blame it on something else – they think everyone is mumbling, the TV volume is too low, or there’s too much background interference. There are, unfortunately, quite a few things that hearing loss can be blamed on, and people’s first reaction is not normally going to be to get checked out or get a hearing test.

It also happens that some individuals just won’t acknowledge that they suffer from hearing loss. Another study conducted in the United States shows that lots of seniors who have hearing issues flat out deny it. They do what they can to hide their issue, either because they don’t want to admit to having an issue or because of perceived stigmas surrounding hearing loss.

The trouble with both of these situations is that by denying or not realizing you have a problem hearing you could actually be negatively affecting your general health.

There Can be Extreme Consequences From Untreated Hearing Loss

Loss of hearing does not only affect your ears – high blood pressure and heart disease have also been connected to hearing loss along with anxiety, depression, and mental decline.

Research has revealed that people who have treated their hearing loss with cognitive therapy, diet changes and hearing aids have better overall health and longer life spans.

It’s important to recognize the indications of hearing loss – trouble carrying on conversations, cranking up the volume on the TV and radio, or a lingering ringing or humming in your ears.

What Can be Done About Hearing Loss?

There are several treatment methods you can undertake to get your loss of hearing under control. Hearing aids are the form of treatment that is the most prevalent, and you won’t have the same kinds of issues that your parents or grandparents did because hearing aid technology has progressed appreciably. Modern hearing aids have Bluetooth connectivity so they can connect wirelessly to your smartphone or TV and they have the ability to filter out wind and background noise.

A changes in your diet could impact your hearing health if you have anemia. Consuming more foods that are high in iron has been discovered to help people combat tinnitus and loss of hearing since iron deficiency anemia has been revealed to cause loss of hearing.

Getting your hearing examined routinely, however, is the most significant thing you can do.

Are you worried you may have hearing issues? Come in and get screened.