Healthy hearing is critical for living well, but it is not always taken seriously. Hearing loss is often overlooked as a normal part of aging. It is frequently hidden due to stigma or disregarded because people think they “do fine most of the time.” In fact, according to the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (

), less than 20% of adults who could benefit from wearing a hearing aid use one.

But hearing loss is not something to ignore. It can hinder your job performance, dampen your social life, and lower your confidence. Most importantly, it can separate you from the people and activities that matter most to you.

Luckily, accepting and treating your hearing loss can make all the difference. It certainly did for me. The first step is to normalize regular hearing screenings, just like those done for vision, high blood pressure and other potential health issues. The sooner a hearing loss is detected, the sooner you can do something about it.

Hearing Loss is Associated with Other Health Problems

Hearing loss can lead to social isolation, but there are many medical reasons for taking your hearing health seriously too. Hearing loss is twice as common in people with 

 and there is a high correlation between hearing loss and 

. People with even a mild hearing loss are nearly three times more likely to have a history of falling and these risks increase as the degree of loss worsens. 

Most alarmingly, hearing loss is also associated with a higher likelihood of developing 

. According to a 2010 Johns Hopkins study, those with even mild hearing loss are twice as likely to develop dementia, and this likelihood increases with higher degrees of hearing loss. But don’t panic. Hearing loss does not mean someone will develop dementia. Additional studies have shown that treating hearing loss lowers these risks.

Hearing Wellness Starts with a Hearing Test

Recognizing the signs of hearing loss can be tricky because the onset is often gradual. If two or more of the typical indicators of hearing loss listed below are true, it may be time to get your hearing tested.

Strategies for Living Well with Hearing Loss

Getting the facts through a hearing test is an important first step. If the diagnosis is hearing loss, then you can begin to do something about it. I recommend learning as much as you can about hearing loss from your hearing care professional but augmenting this with information from other people with hearing loss. You may not know any, but it is easy to find them online.

Facebook has many hearing loss groups (mine is 

) where you can read posts, ask questions, and pick up useful tips and tricks for better communication. Or pick up a hearing loss book or two. My book, 

, co-authored with Gael Hannan, shares our formula for living well with hearing loss.

Your hearing health is not something to be ignored. If you are having trouble hearing, take that first step and get your hearing tested today.

. You can even discuss the results with one of our personal hearing professionals – all with no obligation.

Shari Eberts is a passionate hearing health advocate and internationally recognized author and speaker on hearing loss issues. She is the founder of 

, a popular blog and online community for people with hearing loss, and an executive producer of 

, an award-winning documentary about the hearing loss experience. Her book, 

, (co-authored with Gael Hannan) is the ultimate survival guide to living well with hearing loss. Shari has an adult-onset genetic hearing loss and hopes that by sharing her story, she will help others to live more peacefully with their own hearing issues. Connect with Shari: 

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Healthy hearing is critical for living well, but it is not always taken seriously. Hearing loss is often overlooked as a normal part of aging. It is frequently hidden due to stigma or disregarded because people think they “do fine most of the time.” In fact, according to the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), less than 20% of adults who could benefit from wearing a hearing aid use one.

Hearing Wellness Must Take Center Stage

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