BHI Urges Families and Friends to Help Loved Ones with Hearing Loss This Holiday Season

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Better Hearing Institute (BHI) is urging families and friends across America to stay alert to the signs of unaddressed hearing loss this holiday season and to encourage loved ones to address the problem. To help in the effort, BHI has made available a simple, interactive, online screening tool where people can check their hearing in the comfort and privacy of their own homes, at www.hearingcheck.org. BHI also has an online discussion forum and information exchange, at www.betterhearing.org, to help people with hearing loss cope.

"Hearing loss is not a harmless condition to be ignored or left untreated," says Sergei Kochkin, Ph.D., executive director of BHI. "Unaddressed hearing loss silently erodes one's quality of life, undermining relationships, interfering with short-term memory, and creeping into virtually every aspect of daily living. But hearing loss can be easily diagnosed, and there are modern-day solutions that can help people hear better — so they don't need to draw back in silence."

Hearing loss is one of the most commonly unaddressed health conditions in America today. There are more than 34 million people in the United States with hearing loss — roughly 11 percent of the U.S. population. Of those aged 46 to 64, about 15 percent already have hearing problems, and sixty percent of people with hearing loss are below retirement age. When left untreated, hearing loss can lead to isolation and depression — a health issue that is already prevalent during the holiday season.

"The holidays are meant to be a time of thanks, celebration, and joy," says Kochkin. "But for many, it's a time when unaddressed hearing loss causes them to feel particularly isolated and depressed. Even when surrounded by loved ones, the impaired ability to hear and actively participate in conversation creates barriers. Oftentimes, people with unaddressed hearing loss experience a sense of sadness, inadequacy, and emotional isolation. This is especially true when hearing loss is either unrecognized or is being 'hidden' by the individual."

There is increasing evidence that people with certain medical conditions — such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, kidney disease, heart disease, and even vision loss — may be at an increased risk of hearing loss. And numerous studies have linked untreated hearing loss to a wide range of physical and emotional conditions, including irritability, negativism, anger, fatigue, tension, stress, depression, avoidance or withdrawal from social situations, social rejection and loneliness, reduced alertness and increased risk to personal safety, impaired memory and ability to learn new tasks, reduced job performance and earning power, and diminished psychological and overall health.

In the vast majority of situations, hearing aids can help the person hear better. Studies have shown that hearing aid wearers experience significant improvements in quality of life and decreased depressive symptoms; have significantly higher self-concepts compared to individuals who do not wear hearing aids; and their functional health status improves significantly after three months of hearing aid use.

According to a BHI study, family members play a critical role in whether or not loved ones address a hearing loss. More than half (51%) of new first-time owners of hearing aids said that family members were a key factor influencing their purchase. Fifty-five percent of new hearing aids users sought treatment once they realized through testing how serious their hearing loss was.

"Many people decide to get their hearing checked because someone they love suggested it and provided support," says Kochkin. "If someone you love appears to have a hearing loss, urge them to get a hearing screening. With the BHI quick hearing check available at www.hearingcheck.org, it's easier for people to take that first, critical step in reclaiming their hearing, quality of life, and relationships. What better gift can you give someone you love this holiday season?

Signs of Hearing Loss

There are several social, emotional, and medical signs of hearing loss that people can watch for this holiday season:

Social:

• require frequent repetition
• have difficulty following conversations involving more than two people
• think that other people sound muffled or like they're mumbling
• have difficulty hearing in noisy situations, like conferences, restaurants, malls, or crowded meeting rooms
• have trouble hearing children and women
• have your TV or radio turned up to a high volume
• answer or respond inappropriately in conversations
• have ringing in your ears
• read lips or more intently watch people's faces when they speak with you

Emotional:

• feel stressed out from straining to hear what others are saying
• feel annoyed at other people because you can't hear or understand them
• feel embarrassed to meet new people or from misunderstanding what others are saying
• feel nervous about trying to hear and understand
• withdraw from social situations that you once enjoyed because of difficulty hearing

Medical:

• have a family history of hearing loss
• take medications that can harm the hearing system (ototoxic drugs)
• have diabetes, heart, circulation or thyroid problems
• have been exposed to very loud sounds over a long period or single exposure to explosive noise

Founded in 1973, the BHI conducts research and engages in hearing health education with the goal of helping people with hearing loss benefit from proper treatment. For more information on hearing loss, visit www.betterhearing.org. To take the BHI Quick Hearing Check, visit at www.hearingcheck.org. To participate in the discussion forum, visit www.betterhearing.org, click on "Discussion Forum," and go to "Welcome!" to register.

SOURCE Better Hearing Institute