How Does Hearing Loss Impact Your Life?

Hearing loss is a common problem, especially as you continue to age. Some 15% of American adults say that they have some difficulty with their hearing. While there are, fortunately, some treatment options available, like hearing aids, until those treatments have been woven into the person’s life, there will inevitably be some sort of impact when it comes to the quality of life. 

But how does hearing loss impact a person’s life, anyway? We take a look at some common issues that people face.

In loud environments

There are some places where it is more difficult for people with hearing loss to hear what is going on. Loud environments such as restaurants, bars, public transport stations, and certain urban gathering spots can be especially difficult. The problem with ambient noise isn’t that you can’t hear it; you can — but there is a problem when it comes to focusing on one specific sound. In a restaurant, the noise of the room may make it difficult to hear the waiter’s questions. On public transport, it might make it difficult to hear the announcements over the loudspeaker. 

At work

Hearing loss can also affect a person’s professional life. There can be a lot of noise in a working environment, especially once you factor in non-human noises such as the sound of printers and other machinery. This can generally make it more difficult to hear what is being said. This becomes an even greater issue when it comes to meetings where the person is expected to be a contributing voice; if you can’t fully understand what has been said by the person before you, then you won’t be able to respond as well as you could have done. And it becomes clear how hearing loss could impact performance if your job involves directly communicating with customers and fellow employees. There could also be instances where an important detail that would determine the outcome of a project is misheard. 

Hearing the world 

We use our hearing as a way to communicate with each other, but it also serves other purposes, too. It can provide a warning sign when there’s a danger. This can happen in a direct way, such as when a driver will use the car’s horn to warn pedestrians of their presence, or when there’s a fire in a building and the alarm sounds. We also perceive dangers using our own interpretations, too. Then there’s also the matter of being warned of an imminent threat by another human being. Additionally, we also use our hearing to sense when something doesn’t quite sound right with our cars and other machinery. Hearing loss can make it more difficult to hear or notice these warnings.

There’s another way in which hearing loss can put a person in danger, too. Studies have shown that hearing problems can lead to an increased likelihood of falling down. They think this may be because so much attention is devoted to hearing; the person can make simple errors that lead to injuries.

Socializing with friends

One of the joys of life is spending time with friends and loved ones. It doesn’t matter where you are — so long as you’re together, you’re able to enjoy conversations and laughter and all the other positive aspects of being in each other’s company. Alas, hearing loss can make these good times more difficult to come by. While a person that is experiencing hearing loss may be able to manage a one on one conversation, especially if the friend shows patience, conversations can be more difficult to follow when in a larger group setting, when the conversation is directed to the air, rather than to the individual. This doesn’t just impact the person who is experiencing hearing loss, but also the friends and family members. 

Emotional strain

Finally, those that are experiencing hearing loss are also commonly affected by the emotional strain of contending with the issue. The inability to hear correctly can lead to stress and frustration, which can cause all kinds of secondary health issues. There are sometimes also emotional impacts from the change, especially if it means that you can no longer do the things that you used to do, such as playing music or attend the theatre. 

If you’re experiencing hearing loss and you’re looking for a solution, then get in touch with Rametta Audiology & Hearing Aid Center. You can speak to an experienced audiologist by calling at (724) 409-4439 (Tarentum) or (724) 567-3233 (Vandergrift).