Treating Hearing Loss Improves Your Safety – and Others’ as Well!
Researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health report that hearing loss “could increase the risk of falls and injuries, lead to increased functional limitation and subsequent disability and reduce one’s activity and participation, leading to decreased quality of life.” One study found that “women with moderate or greater hearing loss had a 31% greater increased risk of disability compared to those with normal hearing.” In a different study, researchers discovered that “people with moderate to severe hearing impairment had significantly poorer driving performance in the presence of auditory distractors compared to those with normal or mild hearing impairment.” Perhaps because our hearing abilities are linked to our vestibular system, and because we use sound to stay connected to our environment, the treatment of hearing loss helps our safety.
Moreover, if you’re out and about in the world with untreated hearing loss, you may not hear alarms or horns to alert you of danger. With hearing loss, you may jeopardize your own safety and that of others as well.