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We hear worse things every day. According to the World Health Organization’s predictions, hearing loss will be one of the seven most common impairments in quality of life by 2030. Many people in Switzerland are also hearing impaired. According to data from Pro Audito, the Swiss contact point for people with hearing loss, up to 1.3 million people are affected; This accounts for almost 15 percent of the population.
“Hearing loss in old age is usually a gradual process,” says Patrick Dörig (39), senior doctor at the ENT clinic at the University Hospital Basel. Accordingly, affected individuals are often unaware for years that their hearing ability is gradually decreasing. According to the expert, treating hearing loss (for example, with a hearing aid) usually takes several years.
There is a risk of social withdrawal, depression and even dementia
“Those affected often confront the situation unconsciously,” says Dörig. When interacting with others, they paid more attention to their conversation partners’ lip movements. They would also have to concentrate more to follow the conversations. It is especially difficult to understand speech in a noisy environment (for example, a restaurant). “Thus, those affected often experience social withdrawal.” This can affect mental health and cause depression.
Dörig says that it is known from recent scientific studies that hearing loss is an important risk factor for the development of dementia. “However, it has not been proven whether hearing loss directly causes dementia. “But we hypothesize that good hearing, and therefore good auditory input, is important for mental conditioning.”
It’s better to consider hearing aids early
For these reasons, the expert says, it is important to recognize hearing loss early and decide on hearing aids early – even if the threshold for preventing it is high for most of those affected. Dörig also observes that hearing aids remain stigmatizing. Someone purchasing hearing aids in their 50s or 60s often fears that they will be classified as elderly and in need of assistance. In daily clinical practice, the following situation arises again and again: “Anyone who wears a hearing aid often looks back and wishes they had decided to do so much earlier.” In many cases, improved hearing ability outweighs the feared stigma.
A hearing aid cannot compensate for organic hearing loss. “But it can significantly improve hearing and speech understanding,” says Dörig. He also emphasizes how important it is to take enough time to get used to hearing aids. “Those affected lost their previous hearing ability within a few years.”
Lip reading also helps
The brain also needs time to adjust to the enhanced listening experience. “It can be challenging and requires patience,” says Dörig. “After about three months, the hearing aid needs to be adjusted correctly and our brain needs to adjust accordingly.”
Dörig says there is currently no medical alternative to hearing aids for hearing loss in old age. “But if you learn to read the lips of the person you’re talking to, you can gain additional benefits.” Pro Audito offers special materials and online courses for this purpose.
Source : Blick
I am Dawid Malan, a news reporter for 24 Instant News. I specialize in celebrity and entertainment news, writing stories that capture the attention of readers from all walks of life. My work has been featured in some of the world’s leading publications and I am passionate about delivering quality content to my readers.
