![\"Playful](\"https:\/\/hearingsc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/iStock-1054776080-copy.jpg\" "\\"Benefits")
<\/p>\nIf you suffer from hearing loss in Charleston\u2014and roughly 27,000 of you do, according to estimates\u2014then chances are, you\u2019re already familiar with hearing aids. These devices do a fantastic job helping you reconnect with friends and loved ones, allowing you to enjoy your favorite activities and helping to prevent many of the negative health effects associated with hearing loss.<\/p>\n
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A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society<\/em><\/a> found that people aged\u00a0 66 and over who were prescribed hearing aids after being diagnosed with hearing loss experienced lower risks of dementia, depression, anxiety and fall-related injuries<\/strong> over the next three years in contrast to patients who didn\u2019t immediately start wearing hearing aids. The differences were telling.<\/p>\n These reduced risks translate to a higher quality of life and lower health care costs<\/strong> because older patients who treat their impairment with hearing aids have lower rates of physical, social and psychological health conditions associated with their hearing loss.<\/p>\n \u201cHearing loss is a potentially modifiable risk factor<\/em>,\u201d explained Elham Mahmoudi, a University of Michigan Department of Family Medicine health economist and author of the study. \u201cA simpler system of hearing care, insurance coverage and more educational outreach on potential benefits of using hearing aids is needed<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Unfortunately, only about 12 percent of older adults in Charleston who are diagnosed with hearing loss treat their condition with hearing aids<\/strong>\u2014even when cost isn\u2019t an issue due to insurance coverage.<\/p>\n Hearing loss<\/a> related to natural aging (the medical term is presbycusis<\/a>) is widespread throughout South Carolina. It is one of the top two causes of hearing loss in the U.S.<\/strong> (noise is the other; often the two are related\u2014lifetime exposure to noise hastens the deterioration of the hair cells in the inner ear that are responsible for converting sound into electrical impulses for the brain to interpret). <\/p>\n About one-third of all individuals aged 65 have some form of hearing loss; at age 75, almost half of all people are hearing-impaired<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Not everybody with hearing loss is even aware of their condition. Hearing loss typically develops gradually<\/strong> and the brain does a remarkable job assisting in the hearing process by filling in the gaps. <\/p>\n This can be costly, however; diverting cognitive resources from key areas such as memory and concentration<\/strong> can lead to a variety of health problems. Isolation, loneliness, anxiety, stress, depression and dementia are all common. The odds of developing diabetes and kidney problems are higher and there is an increased risk of falling. <\/p>\n Hearing aids help prevent many of these conditions<\/strong>, as the above statistics show.<\/p>\n Even those who do know about their condition sometimes choose to skip wearing hearing aids<\/a>. <\/p>\n Barriers to treatment include:<\/p>\n Men are more likely to wear hearing aids than women (13.3 percent of males vs. 11.3 percent of females) and differences exist based on race, ethnicity and geography. Latinos have the lowest rates of hearing aid use, while people in the North Central United States are most likely to wear them.<\/p>\n Mahmoudi\u2019s study does have a few flaws in spite of the large sample size and considerable follow-up period. The severity of each patient\u2019s hearing loss was impossible to determine, as was the consistency of their hearing aid use. We also can\u2019t know for sure whether hearing aids were the reason for the decrease in side effects or simply associated with them. An ongoing multi-year study by the National Institute on Aging should help answer these questions about hearing aids.<\/p>\n The bottom line is, hearing aids are the best solution for the vast majority of patients with hearing loss. If you have an untreated hearing impairment, make an appointment with an audiologist in Charleston<\/a> to learn about your treatment options.<\/p>\n West Ashley<\/strong><\/a>Hearing aids reduce the risk of injury and mental health-related issues<\/h3>\n
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\nThe Prevalence of Age-Related Hearing Loss<\/h2>\n
Why doesn’t everyone with hearing loss use a hearing aid?<\/h3>\n
With hearing loss, the brain has to work harder to understand speech<\/h4>\n
What are the barriers to hearing loss treatment?<\/h2>\n
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Who seeks treatment most often?<\/h3>\n
Are there any flaws with current studies?<\/h2>\n
Talk to your audiologist if you have hearing loss<\/h3>\n
\nRelated Hearing Loss Posts:<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nOur Charleston Area Audiologists Office Locations<\/h3>\n
\n2295 Henry Tecklenburg Dr<\/strong>
\nCharleston, SC 29414<\/strong>
\n(843) 766-7103<\/strong><\/p>\n