Depression and Hearing Aids

Depression is a significant issue that affects a large percentage of people who are 65 and older, and age-related hearing loss affects approximately two-thirds of individuals in this age group. According to several studies, correcting hearing loss may help reduce symptoms of depression. Hear Again America is the place to go for a hearing test and your hearing aids if you suspect that you or a friend or loved one may be experiencing hearing loss or think that someone else maybe.

Both depression and hearing loss are left untreated despite their prevalence.

Hearing loss is the third most common ailment that affects people over 65. Hearing loss connected with aging is called presbycusis. It is a condition that develops gradually and causes by a loss of the highest frequency consonant sounds. It also gets more challenging to understand speech when there is background noise. Depression in older persons is a severe health risk often neglected and unrecognized by medical professionals. Hearing loss is the most common chronic illness that links to depression in those over the age of 60.

Hearing loss may lead to social isolation, feelings of loneliness, and an increased reliance on caretakers, all of which can contribute to a worse overall quality of life and depression. To put it another way, individuals who have untreated hearing loss find it difficult to communicate, which may cause them to feel stressed, exhausted, anxious, and socially isolated, all of which can contribute to depression.

Eleven percent of individuals who had a hearing loss also experienced depression, according to a research conducted by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. However, in contrast to the general population, just 5 percent of people answered that they were sad.

According to the institute’s findings, just 9 percent of internists advised hearing tests for the senior patients they saw. Moreover, even after receiving testing, only 25 percent of those determined to have hearing loss purchased hearing aids.

Be Aware Of The Signs And Symptoms

Are you increasing the volume of the television or radio? Are you requesting people to repeat what they said? If there is a lot of background noise in the restaurant where you are eating, do you find it challenging to follow conversations? Do you find it challenging to follow conversations? You are suffering from hearing loss.

Depression is characterized by several symptoms, the most well-known of which are feelings of despair and melancholy. Other, less common symptoms include exhaustion, trouble focusing, lack of appetite, irritability, and loss of interest in hobbies and activities you formerly enjoyed.

Because untreated hearing loss makes it challenging to process noise, it can cause fatigue, irritability, and withdrawal from social situations. In addition, many of the symptoms of depression are also symptoms of hearing loss.

Examining Each of the Concerns

In the case of a person who suffers from depression caused by hearing loss or made worse by hearing loss, getting a hearing test before starting medication may help the person avoid taking medication that isn’t necessary. Depression signs should also review by medical professionals who treat hearing loss. It is essential that you seek medical attention as soon as possible if you have any reason to believe that you may be suffering from hearing loss. To help you avoid developing symptoms of depression and a decline in your cognitive abilities.

After getting hearing aids, nine out of ten people responded to a survey conducted by the Better Hearing Institute, stating that their quality of life had significantly improved due to the investment.

A recent study investigated whether or not older adults who received hearing aids or cochlear implants would experience a reduction in the severity of their depressive symptoms. Participants were required to be at least 50 years old and had to have either a hearing aid or a cochlear implant to participate in the study.

On a standard geriatric scale, evaluate the patient’s level of depression before beginning the hearing treatment. The baseline depression score increased by 31 percent in patients given cochlear implants, and it increased by 28 percent in patients who used hearing aids. So, after six months, there was a significant improvement in depressive symptoms, and this improvement persisted after 12 months!

It is impossible to ignore the significant correlation between untreated hearing loss and depression because it is so strong. It demonstrates how a simple hearing test and some treatment can substantially impact the way a person lives their life. Improving one’s quality of life and re-engaging with society are essential steps in the fight against depression affected by hearing loss.

Obtain a Hearing Test as Soon as Possible.

There is no valid excuse for putting off having your hearing checked or receiving treatment. We’ll work with you to find a model of hearing aid suitable for your needs, and we’ll also work with you if you need anything extra, such as swimmer’s molds or devices designed specifically for musicians. Hearing exams don’t hurt, and the fact that getting new hearing aids may significantly improve the quality of your life is something that you can’t ignore. Call for an appointment right away if you want to avoid putting off a hearing test, increasing the likelihood that the quality of your life may suffer as a result.

If you currently use hearing aids, you are aware of their advantages. For example, hearing aids have made it simpler to converse with friends and family, particularly whether in public or a group.

However, hearing aids do much more than improve your social life. They may significantly influence your brain by keeping you intellectually bright, decreasing your risk of depression, and enhancing your equilibrium.

If you currently use hearing aids all the time, congratulate yourself; you may be increasing your brain function! However, if you only wear them sometimes (or infrequently), four facts supported by medical research may persuade you to do so more often.

1) Hearing Aids May Reduce Your Chances of Aging-Related Cognitive Decline

Scientists examined mental deterioration in adults with hearing loss and those with normal hearing in this 25-year research. The research discovered that those with hearing loss who did not utilize hearing aids had considerable mental impairment compared to people with normal hearing. Persons with hearing loss who used hearing aids, on the other hand, performed the same on cognitive tests as people who did not have any hearing loss! Want to remain sharp as you get older? 

2) Hearing Aids Can Help You Improve Your Memory and Mental Acuity

New research from Texas A&M University put a group of adults with hearing loss through various tests to assess their memory, capacity to concentrate, and processing speed. The subjects received hearing aids. Participants reported improvements in all areas of cognitive function after just six weeks of using hearing aids. They could recall things better, concentrate better, and absorb information quicker than before. Hearing aids keep you cognitively sharp and have superior memory and attention, as well as quicker brain processing, making you seem younger to the individuals you encounter daily!

3) Hearing-Impaired People Report Lower Depression Levels

According to research, hearing loss links to higher levels of depression and higher rates of antidepressant prescription usage and use of mental health services. According to this research, hearing aids may reduce your risk of depression.

4) Hearing aids improve balance and may lower the risk of falling in those over 65.

Better balance with hearing aids implies a lesser risk of severe injuries and costly hospitalizations.

Do you want to improve your brain function, reduce your risk of depression and mental deterioration, and reduce your chances of falling? Then, wearing your hearing aids more often might be beneficial. As a bonus, families of persons with hearing loss report that those who use hearing aids engage in more social activities and have stronger connections with the people they care about, resulting in a more outstanding overall quality of life.

We urge you to use your hearing aids more often for your benefit and share this information with family and friends who haven’t addressed their hearing loss, and encourage them to do so.

Let’s address hearing loss now and help everyone improve their life and long-term health! So do visit Hear Again America and get your Hearing Aids now.