May is Better Hearing and Speech Month and to help celebrate, Dr. Kathy McGowan, AuD, CCC-A, is shedding light on the life-changing benefits hearing aids can provide

Did you know 4 out of 5 people who would benefit from hearing aids never experience the life-changing benefits they can bring? And on average, people wait 6 to 7 years before taking action to treat their hearing loss? As we celebrate Better Hearing and Speech Month this May, Dr. Kathy McGowan, Doctor of Audiology at Beltone, is spotlighting the top 5 life-changing benefits wearing hearing aids can provide for those with hearing loss ready to take the first step in their hearing care journey.  

1. Improved Mental Health

Loss of hearing can increase a person’s risk of developing depression and anxiety disorders. Difficulty hearing can impact every facet of our lives and coping with it can be a struggle. After all, it can be more than a little disheartening and scary when you have a hard time hearing what is going on around you. This is where hearing aids can help. By helping you hear the world around you, hearing aids increase your sense of control and independence while also reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, leading to a better mental state and mood.

2. Decreased Risk of Cognitive Decline

Hearing health has quite the impact on our overall brain health and function. Recent findings have linked hearing loss not only to a higher rate of mental decline, but also a much higher risk of developing dementia. Good news is that the same studies have found that using hearing aids to address hearing loss can significantly lower that increased risk. Hearing loss is also co-morbid with a lot of health issues so it is important to your over-all health!

3. Lower Risk of Falls

Problems with balance have long been linked with the ears. From vertigo caused by dislodged calcium crystals in the ear to dizziness triggered by problems within the inner ear, our balance and our ears are intrinsically linked. And did you know that hearing loss can affect your balance so much that it can increase the risk of a fall? Fortunately, wearing hearing aids can help. A study by the Washington School of Medicine in St. Louis showed that wearing hearing aids can improve balance and decrease the risk of a fall.

4. Improved Social Life

Coming to terms with hearing loss can feel overwhelming but ignoring it can make it worse and have a great impact on your family, work, and social life. With the increased confidence that comes with being able to hear the world around you when wearing hearing aids, comes the willingness to take part in more social interactions, build stronger relationships with loved ones, and have better productivity in the workplace.

5. Reduced Tinnitus Symptoms

Tinnitus is more common than you may think, affecting 1 in 5 people in the U.S. By amplifying the sounds around you, hearing aids can help mask or distract from the ringing caused by tinnitus. Plus, there are great Sound Therapy apps such as the Beltone Tinnitus Calmer app that offer a combination of Sound Therapy and relaxing exercises to help provide relief from tinnitus.

Ready to change your life?

It is important to get your hearing checked regularly to make sure you are getting the most out of experiences that really matter at home, work, or with family, and Beltone is here to help you every step of the way. Take Beltone’s free online hearing screening at Beltone.com or schedule a free hearing screening at your local Beltone Hearing Care Center and ask your loved ones to do the same.

Kathy McGowan, AuD CCC-A, has been a practicing Doctor of Audiology with Beltone for over 16 years having received her Audiology Doctorate from A.T. Still University of Health Sciences. As an Audiologist, Dr. McGowan evaluates, diagnoses and treats hearing loss, balance issues and tinnitus. She is passionate about hearing health care, hearing loss prevention and treatment, and helping her patients to hear better via the latest Beltone hearing aids and technology.