Living with untreated hearing loss affects far more than just your ability to hear. It can also have the following effects:
You can learn more about each of these effects below.
When you have difficulty hearing what’s going on around you, your mental sharpness may decline. This is because your brain isn't being stimulated as much as it could be, which could impair its ability to process sound and recognise speech.
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Living with even mild hearing loss can double your risk of developing dementia. The more severe the loss, the greater the risk of cognitive decline.
Moderate hearing loss, for example, triples your risk. And living with untreated severe hearing loss means you’re up to five times more likely to develop dementia. Learn more about the link between hearing loss and dementia:
Just answer the four questions below to see whether you should consider getting a hearing test.
Your answers indicate that you experience symptoms of hearing loss. We strongly recommend booking a hearing test in one of our clinics.
The result is an indication. An in-person hearing test can determine if you have a hearing loss.
Your answers indicate that you experience some symptoms of hearing loss. We recommend booking a hearing test in one of our clinics.
The result is an indication. An in-person hearing test can determine if you have a hearing loss.
Your answers do not indicate that you experience symptoms of hearing loss. However, if you experience trouble hearing, we recommend booking a hearing test in one of our clinics.
The result is an indication. An in-person hearing test can determine if you have a hearing loss.
Do you find it hard to remember what you’ve just heard? It can be difficult to understand and remember what’s being said when it’s a struggle to hear it in the first place.
This is because the extra cognitive resources needed to listen reduce the resources available for memory and comprehension.
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As your hearing worsens, it becomes more challenging to follow everyday conversations. You may need to ask people to repeat themselves frequently. Or you might sit closer to people so that you can read their lips or watch their facial expressions so you can understand conversations.
You may even nod and pretend to understand what's being said. Jokes aren't as funny if you miss the punchline.
Sensorineural hearing loss
You may find it harder to keep in touch with your circle of friends when you have difficulty hearing. This might be more noticeable in certain situations, like larger gatherings or dinner parties.
As a result, you might find yourself withdrawing in certain social events or even declining invitations altogether. In fact, research shows that seniors with untreated hearing loss are 20–24% less likely to participate in social activities.
Treatment of hearing loss
As your hearing ability declines, you might find it difficult to decipher and locate sounds around you. This can lead to you to feeling more insecure about your surroundings.
When it’s difficult to hear, communication can be exhausting. This is because you must dig deeper into your cognitive reserves to understand what's going on around you.
Social events can be particularly taxing. For example, in restaurants or in crowds or situation where you might need to concentrate even harder to figure out what people are saying to you.
Learn from others with hearing loss
According to the UK charity Hearing Link, people with hearing loss are paid £2,000 a year less than the general population.
Last reviewed 2024-07-01
