A miracle cure that can help lengthen your lifespan is something pretty much everybody would want. In fact, a brief internet search will likely return thousands of such miracle cures (if not more), each promising to help you have a longer life thanks to one simple trick. Pretty much all of these so-called cures have no medical basis and are not supported by the healthcare community.
However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything to positively impact your lifespan. For example, eating a healthy diet (specifically one low in sodium and saturated fats) or quitting smoking can dramatically impact your expected lifespan.
This is also true of treating hearing loss by wearing hearing aids. That’s according to recent research published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, a multidisciplinary publication dedicated to healthy aging. So, will wearing hearing aids to treat hearing loss help improve longevity? There’s a strong likelihood that it will according to this research.
Is hearing loss a health threat?
The connection between your hearing health and your overall wellness is not particularly new to researchers. The fact that neglected hearing loss can significantly increase your chances of developing dementia is well established, for instance.
Many individuals, however, are unaware of these risks. They think that hearing loss will only impact one aspect of their lives and is a mere nuisance. But the truth is that hearing loss is more than a simple nuisance, especially when neglected.
Is there a link between hearing aids and lifespan?
Usually, wearing hearing aids as much as possible will be the main way to manage hearing loss. In this context, do hearing aids reduce the risk of early death? According to this latest research, possibly. There is a 24% decrease in mortality risk for individuals with hearing loss who regularly use hearing aids, as reported by this study. The participants in this study, in other words, who used their hearing aids, tended to live longer.
Hearing aid benefits
The study published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity is not necessarily conclusive proof that hearing aids will help you live longer (though the study does strongly suggest a connection). However, it’s another piece of information to add onto what we already understand about the benefits of hearing aids.
- From enjoying caring moments with your grandkids to participating in a business dinner, everyday situations with friends, family, and colleagues will be easier.
- Social situations can become considerably easier. This can minimize the amount of social isolation you feel, increasing your overall mental wellness.
- Wearing your hearing aids can help improve cognition. Over time, your brain will be healthier and less tired from struggling to hear.
- You may also be more mindful of your surroundings. This can help prevent accidents, injuries, and mishaps.
These are improvements to your quality of life that you’ll feel each time you wear your hearing aids. For these reasons alone, hearing aids are an essential part of managing your hearing loss.
Your total health and well-being depend heavily on healthy hearing
The more we discover about the connections between hearing loss and the rest of your body, the more scientists have come to recognize that your hearing is an exceptionally important part of your total health and wellness. Your risk of early mortality can be diminished by managing any hearing loss you may have with hearing aids.
If you think that you might have some level of hearing loss, it’s time to contact us for a consultation.