4 min read
Hearing
26 Feb 2025
8 min read
Experiencing hearing loss? Here's why you should seek care ASAP
Seek hearing care, quickly.
If you’re already dealing with hearing loss, you’re probably well aware of the impact it can have on our mental health, physical health, and overall sense of well-being. Bearing this in mind, it’s important to act fast when hearing issues do come up — whether they’re presenting in ourselves or someone we love. Below, we explore the potential benefits of prompt hearing care and why it’s in our best interest to spring into action.
You need to confirm the cause of your hearing loss
It’s important to assess the possible causes of your hearing loss as soon as you can — especially if it comes on suddenly. There are several viral infections that can cause hearing loss and while these issues may occasionally resolve on their own, a failure to treat them can result in permanent damage (1). Below, we explore the potential benefits of prompt hearing care and why it’s in our best interest to spring into action. And, if you do have permanent hearing loss — which can also be caused by factors like environment, age or genetics — a hearing device can help you manage your symptoms and your circumstances. One way or another, the right diagnosis will empower you to take appropriate action.
You don't want to miss a beat of your closest relationships
Our social lives tend to suffer when we are straining to hear and as hearing loss progresses, social withdrawal is a common occurrence (4). So, if we hope to stay engaged and limit the communication gaps with those we love, a prescription or over-the-counter hearing device could be a helpful solution.
In fact, recent studies suggest that hearing aids have the power to…
- Simplify conversations (2)
- Boost social activity (3)
- And decrease social fatigue (3)
Ultimately, the goal here is to make every verbal interaction easier with smart devices that help you stay engaged in essential conversations.
You’ll minimize the impact of listening fatigue
Another hurdle faced by individuals with hearing loss is listening fatigue or the sense of exhaustion that occurs when we spend a lot of time straining to hear. Again, an appropriate set of hearing aids may help us mitigate this problem (5).
By amplifying the volume of sounds and conversations, this important tech can minimize the effort we dedicate to uptake and reduce the sense of fatigue that often accompanies hearing loss.
You might even prevent accidents or ailments
Hearing devices can also reduce the risk of accidents and ailments for individuals with hearing loss.
Expert evidence suggests that hearing aids…
- Lower our chances of dementia (6)
- Minimize the impact of chronic tinnitus (7)
- And might even reduce our risk of falls (8)
Of course, all of these benefits are important for everyone but a reduced risk of falls may be especially important for seniors who are more susceptible to serious harm from falling (9).
You’ll minimize the impact of listening fatigue
Another hurdle faced by individuals with hearing loss is listening fatigue or the sense of exhaustion that occurs when we spend a lot of time straining to hear. Again, an appropriate set of hearing aids may help us mitigate this problem (5).
You could get a jump on mental health impact
Over time, hearing loss can wear on our mental health and this is another hurdle we may be able to reduce or eliminate by staying proactive about hearing care.
According to recent studies, hearing aids have the power to…
- Decrease negative emotional symptoms (9)
- Increase the frequency of positive emotions (10)
- And foster a greater sense of overall happiness (11)
For those of us who hope to make the most of our mental health, this data makes a strong case for hearing tech — and finding an appropriate solution fast.
Your fast track to adjustment
For most individuals with hearing loss, hearing aids come with an adjustment period and the sooner we get started, the sooner we can get through those growing pains and adapt to our new devices.
Fortunately, for many users, this period won’t last long. A recent study found that 64% of participants adapted to their new hearing tech within 2 months (12).
First steps
It’s important to book an appointment with an audiologist or other hearing care professional to have your hearing assessed — and again, this may be especially crucial if your hearing loss comes on fast.
In the meantime, you can also take our 3-minute at-home hearing screener to get a sense of the severity of your hearing loss.
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Sources
(1) Cohen, Brandon E et al. “Viral causes of hearing loss: a review for hearing health professionals.” Trends in hearing vol. 18 2331216514541361. 29 Jul. 2014, doi:10.1177/2331216514541361
(2) Beechey, T., Buchholz, J. M., & Keidser, G. (2020). Hearing Aid Amplification Reduces Communication Effort of People With Hearing Impairment and Their Conversation Partners. Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR, 63(4), 1299–1311. https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_JSLHR-19-00350
(3) Holman, J. A., Drummond, A., & Naylor, G. (2021). Hearing Aids Reduce Daily-Life Fatigue and Increase Social Activity: A Longitudinal Study. Trends in hearing, 25, 23312165211052786. https://doi.org/10.1177/23312165211052786
(4) Yadav, A. K., Ahsan, A., & Kumar, V. (2023). Impact of Hearing Aid Usage on Emotional and Social Skills in Persons With Severe to Profound Hearing Loss. Journal of audiology & otology, 27(1), 10–15. https://doi.org/10.7874/jao.2022.00290
(5) Holman, J. A., Drummond, A., & Naylor, G. (2021). Hearing Aids Reduce Daily-Life Fatigue and Increase Social Activity: A Longitudinal Study. Trends in hearing, 25, 23312165211052786. https://doi.org/10.1177/23312165211052786
(6) The Lancet (2017, July 20). Risk factors for dementia. Retrieved September 21, 2023, from https://www.thelancet.com/infographics-do/dementia-risk
(7) NIDCD (2023, May 1). Tinnitus. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Retrieved October 10, 2023, from https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/tinnitus#:~:text=Tinnitus
(8) Campos, L., Prochazka, A., Anderson, M., Kaizer, A., Foster, C., & Hullar, T. (2023). Consistent hearing aid use is associated with lower fall prevalence and risk in older adults with hearing loss. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 71(10), 3163–3171. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.18461
(9) Institute of Medicine (US) Division of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. The Second Fifty Years: Promoting Health and Preventing Disability. Edited by Robert L. Berg et. al., National Academies Press (US), 1992. doi:10.17226/1578
(10) Holman, J. A., Ali, Y. H. K., & Naylor, G. (2023). A qualitative investigation of the hearing and hearing-aid related emotional states experienced by adults with hearing loss. International journal of audiology, 62(10), 973–982. https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2022.2111373
(11) Wick, C. C., Kallogjeri, D., McJunkin, J. L., Durakovic, N., Holden, L. K., Herzog, J. A., Firszt, J. B., Buchman, C. A., & CI532 Study Group (2020). Hearing and Quality-of-Life Outcomes After Cochlear Implantation in Adult Hearing Aid Users 65 Years or Older: A Secondary Analysis of a Nonrandomized Clinical Trial. JAMA otolaryngology-- head & neck surgery, 146(10), 925–932. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2020.1585
(12) Narayanan, Sreeram K et al. “Adapting to New Hearing Aids and Hearing Aid Adjustments in Adult Danish Users.” American journal of audiology vol. 32,3 (2023): 526-542. doi:10.1044/2023_AJA-23-00030