Myths about Hearing Loss

Myths about Hearing Loss

In Hearing Health, Hearing Loss, Research by Dr. Jason Leyendecker

Dr. Jason Leyendecker
Latest posts by Dr. Jason Leyendecker (see all)

Hearing loss is a condition that affects 15% of the US population or nearly 50 million people and is only expected to rise to 1 in 4 people if significant changes are not made on social and governmental levels. For instance, many people are afraid to admit they have hearing loss. They fear it stigmatizes them as old, or avoid treatment with hearing aids because they fear the cost. The more we can stress the importance of protecting hearing and treating hearing loss as early as possible the more as a society we will be able to hear each other in the future. Here are just a few myths about hearing loss commonly held which need to be demystified. 

Myth #1: Hearing loss is only experienced by the elderly. 

Age-related hearing loss, also known as presbycusis is one of the greatest causes of hearing loss, but age is not the only factor that h causes hearing damage. It is estimated that as many as 40 percent of people in the US with hearing loss are under the age of 60 and that 14.9% of children aged 6 to 19 years old have hearing impairments. This could be due to an ever-increasing loud world, with more noise exposure than ever before. However, there are many causes of hearing loss that affect young people, such as chronic ear infections, impact to the head, and exposure to certain chemical and environmental pollutants such as carbon monoxide. Knowing the causes of hearing loss is the first step from protecting your hearing.

Myth #2: Hearing loss is just a hearing issue. 

While hearing loss is an issue that physically starts in the ears the effects are far-reaching. It’s merely the ear’s job to collect sound and send it to your brain. Hearing loss occurs when sound can’t reach the brain and ultimately this requires your brain to work harder – not your ears. 

Hearing loss is irreversible and chronic, so that at the beginning you may have to ask people to repeat themselves. As this goes on for years, people often become exhausted from social situations with untreated hearing loss. It is often parts of words or parts of sentences that are lost with a hearing impairment and the brain is forced to work harder to fill in these gaps. While the brain focuses on this, it has less cognitive function for other aspects of its extensive work. Therefore, hearing loss increases the risk for cognitive decline and dementia. On a social level, the stress of struggling to hear often causes people to withdraw from social engagement, leading to chronic anxiety, depression, loneliness, decreased success at work, and rifts in close relationships. Hearing loss is a quality of life issue.

Myth #3: If your hearing loss is mild, hearing aids can wait.

Your hearing loss may be noticeable, but you feel it is not bad enough to start treatment now. When you consider the risks of hearing loss – they are much easier to avoid altogether than to wait till it becomes severe. For instance, rifts between your loved ones, loss of earnings at work, chronic depression, and even dementia are better avoided by using hearing aids early on. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders reports that about one out of five people who would benefit from hearing aid use them. Set an example to your peers and show them the empowerment that can come from being proactive about hearing loss.

Myth #4: Hearing aids are clunky and ugly. 

Like all technology, developments in hearing aids are ever-evolving offering diverse styles and features to enhance hearing and style. Hearing aids can be so discreet that rarely people will even notice them, or so stylish that no one will be able to resist the added flare. Technology around hearing can address many issues which hearing-impaired people face, allowing them to stay active and engaged without having to think of their hearing aids much throughout the day. Some hearing aids come with artificial intelligence which can learn your listening preferences and adjust them as you move through different environments while others can link wirelessly through Bluetooth seamlessly to all your devices, such as your phone, TV, and car stereo for added clarity. Other features include water resistance, tinnitus masking, and background noise suppression to enhance their listening experience.To find out more about what is available and to demystify more about hearing aids, schedule an appointment with us today. We can find out about you and your lifestyle to help find the best solution for all your hearing needs now.