Learning About Diagnosing Common Health Problems

Posted on: 14 June 2017

Hearing difficulties are not just a problem for your ears. It can impact your well-being in many other surprising ways. If your loved one has been reluctant to have his or her ears tested, here is what you need to know about the possible effects of hearing loss on his or her life.  

What Problems Could Hearing Loss Cause? 

There are several ways in which hearing loss can impact your loved ones, but one of the more serious effects is on his or her social life. As he or she experiences hearing loss, your loved one could become more withdrawn. Part of it is due to not being able to understand conversations that occurring.  

The more withdrawn he or she becomes, the more at risk your loved one is for depression. According to one study, adults with hearing loss experienced depression at a rate higher than their peers with no hearing problems. The impact is not just limited to older people. People under the age of 70 were just as at risk of depression as older people.  

Hearing problems could also impact your loved one's ability to communicate. Hearing loss has a direct impact on how well a person is able to hear sounds, letters, and words. Over time, it becomes more challenging to identify some words. Without realizing it, your loved one could begin to miss out on certain word endings and even have trouble with saying entire words accurately.  

The inability to communicate as effectively could cause problems in other areas, including work. Your loved one could have trouble in not only interacting with his or her co-workers, but have issues with phone communications and group gatherings, such as meetings.  

What Can You Do? 

If you have been unsuccessful in your attempts to convince your loved one to get help, talk to him or her about the ways in which you have noticed the hearing problems have impacted his or her life. It is possible that he or she has not fully realized that hearing loss has reached the point at which others can detect a problem.  

You should also talk to him or her about the risks of waiting until later for a test. When it comes to hearing, even a few months could make a difference in how well the condition is treated. The sooner your loved one's hearing is tested, the better for everyone.  

Talk to an audiologist like Children  &  Family Hearing Associates about other ways you can convince your loved one. He or she can not only provide you with pointers, but also conduct the exam once your loved one is ready.