Are you afraid of hearing loss?

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), there are approximately 28 million people in the United States who are deaf or hard of hearing and close to 27 million of them could benefit from hearing aids. Only six million people of the 27 million are currently using hearing aids as a tool for better hearing.

The question you’re probably asking yourself is why don’t these people that need hearing-aids use them? There are many reasons why:

1. The self-consciousness associated with wearing hearing aids can make people feel embarrassed to wear hearing aids and they may choose not to because of the negative connotation they have.

2. Not realizing a problem exists in the first place. Most hearing loss happens progressively. Being habituated to a reduced level of hearing ability and time progresses makes it difficult to ascertain if a problem exists at all.

3. Denial of a problem. People tend to deny that a problem exists themselves because of the emotional desire to be independent.

If you or anyone you know may suffer from hearing loss but are afraid to get your hearing tested, know that there are important reasons why you should. You can prevent further damage, increase motor coordination and help your self-confidence with conversation. It is increasingly affordable to get your hearing checked and treated for it as well.