It is common to think that hearing loss only affects how you hear now and then, without exploring the far-reaching effects. When you struggle, it can quickly affect every aspect of your health from your relationships, your career, your mood, physical health, mobility, and cognitive ability. Due to the fact that hearing loss affects such broad corners of our life and health, it’s being more and more recognized how hearing loss can impact a person’s quality of life. In fact, a recent Finish study explored the impact of hearing loss on mobility and its corresponding effects across our life.
Hearing Loss and Mobility
We think of hearing loss as a way to communicate, but beyond this, hearing has some important functions, rarely fully recognized. Hearing also helps us stay alert and aware of the world around us. This means we can be prepared as we detect a sound of a moving object coming from behind us, or the right or left. We have two ears for a reason. Two ears help us localize sound. When a sound comes from the right our right ear will pick it up first and communicate this with the brain. On the left side it is the same. For this reason it is important to treat hearing in both ears. While many make the mistake that they can ignore hearing loss in one ear because they can hear fine in the other, it can lead to unsafe situations.
With two ears we can be ready for anything that comes our way. We can identify the direction a sound is coming from, how close and how fast it may appear to be approaching. Unaddressed hearing loss can affect mobility because it can affect our response time to emergency sounds. We may miss approaching vehicles, warning sounds or a clue to an obstacle. In fact, those with unaddressed hearing are far more likely to suffer falls and accidents which often lead to hospitalizations.
Mobility and Social Isolation
Aside from the reduced auditory sensory cues which inevitably occur when hearing loss is unaddressed, comes the social implications which impact mobility. We do use our heairng to listen to others and respond accordingly. As hearing becomes an increased issue, it can start to build up into a source of social strain. It can feel exhausting and frustrating to socialize and as a result, it’s all too common for people to start to avoid uncomfortable social situations. People with unaddressed hearing loss often begin to avoid invitations and abstain from new experiences with new people. As a result, this affects a person’s willingness to try new things and go new places, impacting mobility.
Mobility Research
An important Finnish study from the University of Jyväskylä and the University of Tampere compiled the impact of hearing loss on mobility. The study followed over 800 adults between the ages of 75-90 year old, with and without hearing loss, to determine the effects of hearing loss on mobility and limiting social circles. The team identified significant differences between those with hearing loss and those without. Those who had hearing loss doubled the chance that an individual’s life was restricted to their immediate local area.
Over two years, the team tracked the mobility of the cohort and found that hearing loss led to a dramatic decrease in how far a person was comfortable and able to travel from their home. The study noted that decreased mobility was a very significant factor affecting quality of life. Quality of life is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “an individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns”.
Addressing Hearing Loss
If you, or someone you love is struggling with hearing loss, then it’s important to take action now. The sooner you address a hearing loss, the more likely you are to avoid the many serious, emotional, cognitive, and physical effects associated with hearing loss. The first step towards a richer and fuller life is to schedule a hearing exam with us today. Contact us now!