Studies on Hearing Loss & Injuries

Studies show that there is a close relationship between hearing loss and accidental injuries. According to the National Health Interview Survey, 16 percent of the people living in the United States have hearing loss. The research was done by this organization also showed that over three months, 2.8 percent of the adults had sustained accidental injuries. The odds of the injuries were found to be twice among individuals living with untreated hearing loss. Hearing loss is a treatable condition, and it should not be ignored. It starts manifesting itself as a simple condition, but when left unaddressed, it can worsen and lead to severe problems.

Early Symptoms of Hearing Loss

• Straining to listen when people are talking
• Avoiding crowds because the voice irritates your ears
• Lip-reading
• Muffling speech
• Hard to understand what people are saying
• Listening to music at a higher volume

Major Symptoms of Hearing Loss

• Muffling speech
• Accumulation of some fluid in the ear
• Lack of sleep
• Pain in the ear
• The buildup of wax in the ear
• Headache
• Failing to acknowledge sounds
• Hearing yourself while speaking

These are some of the symptoms of hearing loss, and they advance from simpler to complex ones. When you visit an ENT Specialist on time, the problem can be solved while still at an early stage.

Relationship between Hearing loss And Injuries

Many types of accidents can happen to a person depending on the environment that a person lives in or spends most of his or her time. Persons who are living with untreated hearing loss are the ones who at higher risk of sustaining injuries from accidents. You can get an injury while walking, driving, and even while at your workplace. If you are living with untreated hearing loss, it will be difficult for you to hear sounds that alert you when in danger. For example, if you are about to experience a certain danger, people around you will shout to inform you of the threat. How will you get to hear the alert if you have hearing loss?

Reasons as To Why People Living with Untreated Hearing Loss Are Vulnerable To Injuries

• Wrong Decision Making

A person who lives with untreated hearing loss can make wrong decisions because he or she cannot perceive information as it is released. Such people cannot get the message that you are giving them correctly because of their problem. They might mishear words and end up misunderstanding the meaning. Because of this, people with untreated hearing loss can sustain severe injuries since they will fail to understand the precautions and safety measures that you have told them.

• Psychological Distress

According to many medics, hearing loss can lead to the development of mental conditions like depression, Alzheimer’s syndrome, and dementia. A psychologically unstable person cannot make rational decisions, and he might end up sustain some injuries. The fact that people with hearing loss isolate themselves from others, they might end up doing things that are risky to their lives. They might attempt to commit suicide because they feel less valued, and this might subject them to severe injuries.

Management of Hearing Loss

• Use Of Hearing Aids

Hearing aids are electronic devices that amplify and change sounds. It is a device that is sold in many health facilities. Your nearby ENT specialist will provide you with the best hearing aids.

• Cochlear Implants

A cochlear implant is a device that is placed surgically to help in sending electrical stimulations to the inner part of the ear. This device is implanted to persons who have severe hearing loss. It is mainly used for children to enable them to hear properly while in schools.

• Brain Stem Implants

Some patients cannot benefit from hearing aids and cochlear implants because their acoustic nerves are destroyed. Such patients can have their hearing treated by implanting electrodes in the brain stem, a part of the brain that is responsible for hearing. These electrodes are then connected to sound processing and sound detecting devices.

Treating hearing loss is the solution to improving your hearing health. The treatment will help you to regain back your great social life, and you will be able to carry out your economic activities comfortably.