- July 26, 2024
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In January, a study by the University of Southern California reported that adults with hearing loss who regularly use hearing aids have a 24% lower risk of early death compared to those who don't wear them regularly.
Beltone Hearing Care Center recently interviewed a patient, Richard Jones, on his experience using hearing aids and his thoughts on the study. Jones has lived in Ormond Beach for 37 years. His hearing loss began about 20 years ago.
Can you tell me about your hearing loss condition?
About 20 years ago, I had a sudden hearing loss on one side (my right ear). It was determined to be a viral infection after many doctor visits and appointments. They said my hearing would only come back to a small degree (if any at all) and very gradually. There weren’t many more medical answers beyond a virus had attacked the cochlea, which is the organ of the inner ear.
What health comorbidity do you suffer from in conjunction to hearing loss, and how has that impacted your life?
I am pretty healthy overall. I don’t have any major comorbid conditions; however, my balance was initially effected due to the sudden hearing loss. It’s since been corrected. Many people with single-sided deafness have balance issues, to my knowledge, and my Beltone CROS hearing aid has helped improve my balance overall. I learned that falling is the number one cause of injury-related death for anyone over 65, and I’m 73.
How has your life improved since having hearing aids?
The hearing aids have not only restored my balance, but also when I’m in a crowded environment or group setting, I have restored conversation ability as well as a sense of directionality that would have otherwise been missed. I can better participate in these conversations, as I’m simply hearing people better in loud settings.
Before the new study came out showing hearing aids can help people live longer, did you know your hearing loss was linked to the health comorbidity you suffer from?
Yes, I did know about my specific instance and case of hearing loss being linked to balance and falling; however, I did not know to what extent traditional hearing loss is linked to other comorbidities that were named in this study. It’s surprising how many different parts of the body are linked to hearing. I do appreciate the extra attention Beltone always gives when it comes to educating on any potential issues or difficulties that can come from untreated hearing loss. I was pleasantly surprised about the new Cognivue screening they do in the office to rule-out cognition-related comorbidities.
