Scott Crofut's Hearing Aid Centers

Hearing is essential to full enjoyment and participation in life. Unfortunately, today 1 in 10 Americans - over 36 million people - experience some degree of hearing loss. Hearing loss is the third leading chronic health condition among Americans, after arthritis and high blood pressure. Consequences Of Untreated Hearing Loss Think you may be hard of hearing? You might be a little surprised to know that the typical person with hearing problems waits over five years to see a health care professional about their hearing loss. Although hearing loss is not a life threatening condition, it does lower the overall quality of life for those suffering from it. The good news is that clinical studies have shown that when hearing aids are properly fitted they significantly improve the overall quality of life for their users. The downside of choosing to wait until your hearing problems get worse before you start wearing hearing aids, or not wearing them at all, has also been well-documented. Below is a list of the reasons for taking action today. Evidence clearly shows that there are serious negative consequences if you wait to use hearing aids if you need them. Talk to your Miracle-Ear hearing care professional to find out if now is the best time to start using hearing aids. 1. The Effects Of Auditory Deprivation Auditory deprivation is the term used to describe a decrease in speech understanding resulting from a hearing loss. In simple terms, hearing loss starves the auditory centers in the brain of acoustic information. The good news is that hearing aids, which allow the auditory centers of your brain to "stay busy", have been proven to help this potential problem. Using hearing aids now will stave off the effects of auditory deprivation. 2. Hearing Loss & Dementia For years, doctors noted that older patients with hearing loss also suffered from high rates of dementia. But they couldn't tell how the two were connected. A study by Johns Hopkins and the National Institute on Aging proves that there's a causal link between untreated hearing loss and cognitive dysfunction. Researchers believe the issue is something called "cognitive reserve." When the brain is working and devoting extra resources to deciphering words and sounds, it simply loses capacity. And the isolation brought on by hearing loss compounds the problem, as people with fewer social interactions have less stimulation and get far less "exercise" for their brains. 3. Hearing Loss and Income A study of 40,000 households, conducted by the Better Hearing Institute, found that people with untreated hearing loss earn significantly less than people with normal hearing or those who treat their hearing loss. And the difference can be as much as $30,000 per year in annual income. The good news is high-quality hearing aids correct this discrepancy up to 90% - 100%, depending on the degree of hearing loss. 4. Social And Emotional Impact Of Untreated Hearing Loss There is also considerable evidence suggesting that patients with untreated hearing loss suffer more from depression and social isolation compared to those of similar age who wear hearing aids. Patients with hearing loss are more likely to be depressed and suffer from the many quality of life effects of it, than patients of similar hearing loss that have chosen to wear hearing instruments.