When left untreated, hearing loss can significantly affect your quality of life and result in social and health impacts beyond the initial impairment.
“People who suffer from hearing loss start to avoid social situations because it’s frustrating having to ask people to repeat themselves over and over again,” says Dr Moh Dadafarin, principal audiologist at Ear & Hearing Australia. “They stop enjoying listening to music and watching movies and television shows. Without realising it, untreated hearing loss can cause you to miss out on a lot.”
“Background noise in noisy situations like restaurants can make it almost impossible to hear conversations which results in people losing their interest going to those places. Avoiding social situations can eventually contribute to isolation and depression.”
Untreated hearing loss can also contribute to physiological problems including cognition and memory decline, and auditory deprivation, a condition where the brain loses the ability to interpret words.
Untreated hearing loss does not only affect you as an individual, it can also affect your relationships with your loved ones. This can lead to feelings of frustration, annoyance and sadness. Partners of people experiencing hearing loss can be ignorant of their part in this.
The good news is that most hearing loss can be treated successfully. “People with a hearing loss who receive early treatment by hearing aids can highly benefit from improved communication and will be able to confidently return to a full and active lifestyle.” Dr Dadafarin says. “Hearing aids can improve patients’ relationships, social lives and physical and mental health… People who use hearing aids, generally report noticeable improvements to their wellbeing and quality of life.
After treatment, patients have found they can better engage in conversation with family and friends, watch television at a normal volume and speak with people by phone with ease. Patients also feel more independent and self-confident after treatment, notice a difference in their relationships with family and friends, and may have greater engagement.
Dr Dadafarin says the first step to addressing hearing loss is to consult an audiologist and to have an audiological hearing assessment. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are key to dealing with hearing loss and often result in the most successful outcomes, he says.
For a hearing assessment, call Ear & Hearing Australia on 1300 761 667 or book online by visiting https://earandhearing.com.au/hearing-test/.
About Ear and Hearing Australia
Ear & Hearing Australia is a premium, independent, Melbourne-based, hearing practice, first established in 1998. They offer a full range of hearing services including hearing tests, fitting hearing aids, ear wax removal and tinnitus treatment. Their audiologists are highly qualified and independent, providing unbiased advice. They consider all your needs, bringing improvement to your whole lifestyle. Focusing on you and your hearing needs, these audiologists provide high-level professional hearing care and use a holistic approach for optimal treatment outcomes.
Why not come and speak face to face with us at the Melbourne Seniors & Disability Expo on Friday and Saturday, 22 -23 November, at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre?