The Grim Statistics
Many people are often surprised to learn exactly how common hearing loss really is. More than 13% of everyone in the U.S. aged 18 and above suffers from it to some detectable degree. This percentage of the population that is affected increases steadily with age, making hearing loss actually very common once you are considering older demographics. One-third of everyone aged 65 and above has it and more than half of everyone aged 75 and older does, meaning it is more likely than not that someone over the age of 75 has hearing loss.
Perhaps even more shocking are the grim statistics about how much more likely it is that someone will ignore or downplay their hearing loss rather than to seek appropriate treatment. Experts estimate that less than 20% of everyone who should be treating their hearing loss actually does so. And among that small percentage of people that actually do address their hearing loss with the gravity it deserves, people who wear hearing aids have delayed an average of seven years before doing so.
Why this delay?
Hearing loss does most often come on so gradually that it can be difficult to even recognize. No one is self-aware or perceptive enough to notice that a little bit at a time they are concentrating a little extra to make out exactly what someone is saying. Many of us read lips without even noticing that we do so. And it is very common to unconsciously fill in the blanks of dropped words using context clues. But as we slowly come to depend on these subconscious operations more and more, we find interactions with others to be more and more fatiguing but cannot say exactly why.
Eventually, even if one does begin to piece these clues together and suspect that they are experiencing hearing loss, there is rarely a single moment of realization. And without this single, definitive moment, there is no singular call to action. Taking action becomes a matter of personal responsibility, not urgency.
But without proper treatment, the consequences of hearing loss are more likely than not to unravel and compound, damaging one’s emotional and psychological health. Your hearing health is a cornerstone of your overall sense of well-being. Taking such responsibility is indeed a commitment, but there is no question that it is worth the investment.
The Excuses
“I can hear just fine,” is the most common excuse, fundamentally denying the very existence of the problem.
The simplest way to disprove this is to make an appointment with one of our specialists to get an objective evaluation. You can not deny objective data.
Other people may admit the problem is real, but downplay its severity. “it’s not that bad,” they’ll say. “I don’t need help yet.”
As explained above, the side effects of hearing loss compound. Intervention at the earliest possible moment is key to mitigating the breadth and degree of suffering it can cause.
Ironically, people will often say they are too young to need hearing aids or too old to need them. Claiming to be too young to need them is the same as denial. Claiming to be too old to need them is the same as downplaying its severity. Hearing loss can and does happen to people of all ages, races, genders, and social classes. There should be no more stigma to wearing hearing aids than there is to wearing eyeglasses. If you suspect today that you may be having trouble hearing, then today is the day to take action.
The last resort that people resisting hearing aids will often arrive at is the lazy generalization that hearing aids don’t work. But contemporary hearing aids, set up with the guidance of a trained professional, improve volume and clarity specific to your unique needs, making precise, life-changing, instant and effortless
The Facts
Today’s hearing aids have sleek designs and are hardly visible. Yes, hearing aids are an investment, but no way are they an indulgence. You will experience simpler and deeper connections with your loved ones, improved performance at work, and generally improved sense of well-being. Make an appointment today to check out the many options available to you. We can answer all your questions and meet your unique needs to help guarantee you’re living at your greatest potential.