Hearing loss is the third most common health problem in the United States, and those affected range from infants to elderly. The ear’s mechanisms control more than sound perception. Ensuring your ears hear to the best of their ability impacts your emotional well-being, brain function, and physical health.

Hearing Aids And Emotional Health

It isn’t easy to socialize when you can’t hear the person who’s speaking to you. Regularly asking others to repeat themselves and straining to understand can be emotionally exhausting. You may find yourself hesitating to go out in social settings and isolating yourself.

‍Hearing aids clarify sound, so you don’t have to struggle to keep up with the conversation. Maintaining regular social interaction improves your communication and lowers your risk for depression. You can invest more energy into your family and friends since you’re not spending it all on trying to hear.

Hearing Aids Improve Cognition

If you don’t regularly stimulate your brain, you risk losing cognitive function. This is especially true when it comes to the auditory nerves in your brain. Your brain only stores sound memories for a limited time and will “forget” sounds if not consistently engaged.Hearing loss slows your overall brain activity and lowers your cognitive ability. That puts you at a higher risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Hearing aids keep your brain active and help it relearn sounds you haven’t been hearing.

How Hearing Aids Improve Physical Health

People with hearing loss often struggle to maintain their balance, so wearing hearing aids can reduce the risk of falls. The tiny semicircular canals – tube-like structures in your inner ear – and hair cells act as sensors that regulate your balance. They are responsible for monitoring the position of your head with gravity.Your brain won’t work as hard to determine a sound’s location because hearing aids improve sound localization and reduce your overall cognitive load. The intricate connections in your brain mean that failure to stimulate your auditory nerve could affect your speech and other physical abilities.

Visit Audiology & Hearing Services of Charlotte to learn more about our services. Call 704-412-7975 or contact us online for more information.