Our five senses are our way of receiving and interpreting information from the world around us, but they can also tell us more about what’s going on inside our bodies. A reduction in one of your senses could indicate other issues, and your hearing is no exception. There are many ways in which your hearing health is connected and intertwined with your overall wellness. When you recognize that connection, it can help you and your medical team make better decisions about how to treat hearing issues.
Here are some ways in which your overall wellness can influence your hearing health, and how it can impact your overall wellness:
Hearing and Brain Health
In some cases, hearing loss can be caused by physical damage to the structures of the inner ear, but in other cases, it can find its root cause in your brain itself. After all, the hearing center of your brain collects information from the inner ear and interprets it. Sometimes, you can even have trouble understanding speech due to issues with your brain’s ability to process language. If you notice that you are having more trouble hearing or understanding speech, it could be a sign of underlying issues in the brain.
Hearing and Personal Safety
One of the most important functions of your ability to hear is recognizing dangerous situations around you so you can react appropriately and avoid injury. For example, if you hear the horn of an approaching car as you are stepping out into an intersection, you can stop yourself in time to prevent a serious accident. People living with hearing impairment can’t always hear well enough to avoid dangerous situations like this, and multiple studies have shown that hearing-impaired people of all ages are at an increased risk of injury from all causes.
Mental and Social Health
Interacting with others can be one of the most enriching experiences of a person’s life. Our social interactions can have a tremendous impact on the trajectory of our lives and how we feel about ourselves. Unfortunately, people with hearing impairment can have difficulty connecting with others socially, even with their own family members. Without a strong social support system, they can be more likely to develop depression. In addition, straining to hear what others are saying can put a great deal of stress on the brain, leading to fatigue, confusion, and increased anxiety.
Hearing and Employment
We need money for nutritious food, shelter, medical care, and more to be healthy. Gainful employment is a big part of that equation. Without treatment, people with hearing impairment can have a more difficult time at job interviews and the workplace. Recent data from the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes has shown a notable employment gap between hearing-impaired people and those without disabilities.
A shocking 46.5% of hearing-impaired people are unemployed or not in the workforce, compared to 29.6% for those without disabilities, meaning that people with hearing impairment may be less equipped to provide themselves with an environment that allows them to have the best overall health and wellness.
Treating Hearing Impairment
While all the issues listed above can impact the health and wellness of people with hearing impairment, modern technology can allow them to have the best possible overall wellness. If you are living with hearing impairment, the first step is speaking to a hearing specialist who can provide examination and audiometric testing of your condition and begin to find solutions. At that point, they may recommend a hearing aid that will allow you to avoid danger, have a rich social life, and be more successful at work.
If you live in Delaware, Fairway Hearing Center can assist you in finding the right hearing aids and accessories to enrich your life and improve your wellness. Call us at (302) 251-8252 or request an appointment online to speak with a team member if you need hearing aids in Millboro, DE, or anywhere else nearby!