Hearing loss is not just an annoyance — it’s
linked with some serious health problems.
Hearing loss might
seem like an inconvenience. You turn the TV louder, or choose quieter
restaurants, or ask people to repeat themselves.
But it’s actually not
just an annoyance — it’s also linked with some serious health problems.
“We used to feel that
hearing loss was a loss of communication opportunity and that was about it, but
what has become clearer in the last several years is that there are much deeper
cognitive and physical health implications,” says Donald Schum, vice president
of audiology at Oticon, a hearing aid manufacturer.
Paul Farrell,
associate director of audiology for the American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association, outlines the types of health problems we’re
talking about:
Social isolation, loneliness and depression
“Most adults develop
hearing loss gradually over many years,” Schum says. Over time, you might
gravitate away from experiences you no longer enjoy, like restaurants and
parties, and toward less-social activities that don’t put as much demand on
your hearing.
“As older adults get
more and more isolated, that can lead to stress and depression,” Schum says.
It’s a downward spiral.
Communication
difficulties isolate people, and then people become more depressed
and stressed.
Communication difficulties isolate people, and then people become
more depressed and stressed.
“Their physical
health starts to deteriorate as a result of these factors, and as their
physical health deteriorates they become more isolated because they can’t
participate. These factors are building on each other,” he says.
“Our big concern in
audiology is that we believe we can stop some of that [downward spiral] earlier
on if people are willing to do something about their hearing loss,” Shrum says.
“We want to get more people to recognize that linkage and act.”
Cognitive impairment and dementia
There are a few
different hypotheses about the link between hearing loss and decreased brain
function, Farrell says. One says neither causes the other, but that
neurodegeneration as you age causes both.
Another thinks the
energy the brain uses as you struggle to hear might deplete the energy the
brain needs in other areas, Farrell says.
And a third suggests
that the social isolation that can stem from hearing loss can lead to decreased
sensory input, which can then lead to dementia.
“One of the best
stimulations for the cognitive system is to be around other people, having a
good conversation,” Shrum says. “When you start to lose that because of
isolation you’re at greater risk of cognitive decline.”
He points to a British study that
found that untreated hearing loss tops the list of factors leading to dementia
that are under your control.
“We are in no way
saying that getting hearing aids prevents dementia or Alzheimer’s — we’re not
anywhere near that — but we do recognize how important social interaction is in
the later years, and it’s tricky to create those environments for yourself if
you allow yourself to become more isolated because of hearing loss,” Schum
says.
Falls
Farrell says a study
of 2,000 people found that those with a higher degree of hearing loss had a
greater risk of falling. It’s not yet clear what the connection is between
falling and hearing loss.
Schum says, “It’s a
little premature to suggest that hearing loss causes falls. There’s some
speculation about the mechanisms behind that, but it’s early days.”
Diabetes and heart disease
Diabetes might
affect the blood flow to the cochlea and lead to hearing loss, Farrell says.
And while it could be that diabetes is causing hearing loss, not the reverse,
hearing loss could still be an important indicator.
That’s because 8.1 million
people in the United States with diabetes are undiagnosed.
And hearing loss in the low frequencies could
indicate heart disease, though the connection is still unclear. “We’re seeing more
and more evidence and continuing to discover the links between these serious
conditions and hearing loss,” Schum says.
A wide-ranging concern
Hearing loss is a
common problem as you age. According to the National
Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders, disabling
hearing loss affects about 2% of adults aged 45 to 54, 8.5% of adults aged 55
to 64 and nearly 25% of those aged 65 to 74.
Schum says there are
two reactions that adults often have that interfere with treatment for hearing
loss. One is denial: “They say, ‘It’s not my hearing, people mumble.’”
The other is
normalization. “It’s more subtle, but equally dangerous,” Schum says. That’s
the assumption that your hearing is going to deteriorate as you get older, so
you just accept the effects. “They think, ‘None of my friends can hear well,’
or ‘You should see my spouse.’”
“It’s really
important for any individual who has hearing loss to ensure they have a good
conversation with their physician and audiologist,” Farrell says. “Be open and
honest about all the health conditions you’re being faced with.”
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