It’s not so bad. You can live with it. No one even notices that you have hearing loss.
Are we getting warmer?
There are many reasons that people haven’t had a hearing test and many more reasons you shouldn’t.
Can we guess the reason you haven’t had a hearing test yet?
1. You think it’s not that bad yet
You probably think you can just turn your head a certain way, and it’s okay. You hear better out of one ear – which is very rare, by the way.
You don’t really ask people to repeat themselves that often. You’d know if it were severe enough to need to see a doctor.
The fact is that most hearing loss happens very slowly. You get used to it. You learn to compensate. It doesn’t “feel” as bad as it is.
You won’t realize how bad it is until you hear the difference once you get a hearing test.
2. You think you’re too young
Thirteen percent of 12-year-olds already have some hearing loss. Hearing loss isn’t just something that people much older than you deal with.
Anyone can have hearing loss. And the risk goes up significantly around 45. By 55, you have a 40% chance of having hearing loss.
Getting your hearing tested now can prevent a lot of hardship down the road.
3. You’ve just got other things to do
It’s hard to make something like hearing loss a priority because it happens so slowly. You just deal with it. You don’t think much about it.
When you do think about it, don’t wait. Find an Audiologist, Hearing Instrument Specialist, or ENT and schedule a hearing test right then. Don’t let that moment fade away.
4. You don’t think hearing is all that important
The reason people have trouble making hearing tests a priority is because they think “it’s just hearing.” They don’t realize that people with untreated hearing loss are at much higher risk for some dire, sad, and costly experiences.
- Faster progression of the hearing loss
- Significantly increased risk of depression and anxiety
- The significantly increased risk, and faster progression, of dementia
- Social isolation (giving up the people and things you love because it’s easier to be alone)
- Damaged relationships
- Increased fall risk
- More ER visits
- More days spent in the hospital
5. You can just deal with it
Maybe you can just turn the TV up louder. You could get one of those sound amplifier devices. You’ve gotten good at reading between the lines when you can’t hear something.
Let’s look at the facts.
Loud TVs and other electronics put a significant strain on others in the household.
Amplifiers only make sound louder. Hearing loss isn’t just about losing the volume you can hear. You lose different frequencies of sound. Making things louder just amplifies the sounds you can already hear.
Reading between the lines means you’re guessing a lot. You may be really good at it, but this inevitably leads to misunderstandings and often resentment.
6. You don’t think it impacts those around you
If you think you’re the only one dealing with your hearing loss, think again. Your family and friends notice, even if they don’t say anything.
They love you. But it makes it hard for them to talk to you. Sometimes they even avoid talking to you because they have to repeat themselves constantly.
They want you to get help. But they realize they can’t do it for you. They are unsure how to talk to you about it.
Over time this really wears on even the strongest relationships.
7. You’d rather not know how bad it really is
And finally, you just really don’t want to know how bad it is. If you don’t get tested, you can continue to act like nothing’s wrong.
Keep on saying that the other person was just mumbling or they’re a quiet talker. You can keep telling yourself that you don’t need a hearing aid.
You really don’t want to find out you need a hearing aid. You think that they’re way too expensive. You think that getting one will make you seem “old.”
But as you can see from these seven common reasons, not getting a hearing aid when you need one will not only make you seem older. It will make you “age” more quickly as you suffer from more conditions common with extreme age.
The fact is if you’re noticing it – even a little – you need to know where you stand.
