Hearing loss is becoming increasingly common, with 15% of Americans over 18’s having some difficulty hearing. Unfortunately, many just accept that it’s part of ageing.
Hearing Loss Study
A team at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston conducted a study about the potential connection between hearing loss and accidents. “Hearing is a special sense that plays an important role in warning us of danger in our surroundings,” stated lead study author, Dr. Neil Bhattacharyya.
Findings
Whilst the study doesn’t prove that hearing loss caused the risk of accidents to increase directly, it did highlight how hearing loss impacts daily life. This statement about the findings illustrates, “A strong relationship between poorer hearing and accidental injury, especially since the rate of injury increased steadily as the reported hearing worsened.”
The study found this by analyzing data from the US National Health Interview Survey. In the survey, 6.6 million respondents reported having suffered an accident in the previous 3 months. The trend emerged when looking at the respondents. Those with a hearing loss were almost twice as likely to have an injury, compared to those with excellent hearing.
On further examination, injuries seemed to commonly occur during leisure activities. Hearing loss will often require greater levels of concentration to focus on conversation with friends or the activity itself, particularly in noisy areas. Background noise could also be excessive and distractions abundant. You may miss someone telling you to “watch out” or not hear someone approaching you at speed from behind.
Some hearing loss can also impact balance or dizziness. Generally with a hearing loss, you are receiving much less auditory information to be aware of all the risks.
Tips To Avoid Accidents If You Have Hearing Loss:
- Check your hearing aid is working properly and the levels are set accordingly. Be sure to wear it.
- Be aware of your hearing, observe any changes in the environment. Make sure to pay attention; take note if you’re missing calls or if someone mentions you’re not hearing everything that’s being said to you.
- Take regular rest breaks in a quieter place. This will allow your brain and ears to rest. Crowds, loudspeakers, music, engines, enthusiastic teammates can all be very noisy and tiring.
- Be open, let someone know about your hearing loss and they may just be able to notice something and act before you do. This helps everyone have fun and stay safe.
Don’t wait for a potentially life impacting accident to happen before you take the steps to protect yourself and your hearing. Your hearing could change gradually, or it could happen quickly. For this reason, we recommend regular assessments. Book yours today by calling 702-997-2964. Alternatively, click here to request an appointment online.