What are the consequences of not hearing?
Asked by: Jocelyn Frami | Last update: January 6, 2026Score: 4.5/5 (19 votes)
Hearing loss is frustrating for those who have it and for their loved ones. But recent research from Johns Hopkins reveals that it also is linked with walking problems, falls and even dementia.
What are the consequences of not being able to hear?
Hearing loss can affect a person in three main ways: fewer educational and job opportunities due to impaired communication. social withdrawal due to reduced access to services and difficulties communicating with others. emotional problems caused by a drop in self-esteem and confidence.
What are the consequences of hearing loss?
The impacts of hearing loss are broad and can be profound. They include a loss of the ability to communicate with others delayed language development in children, which can lead to social isolation, loneliness and frustration, particularly among older people with hearing loss.
What is it like to live without hearing?
Can you imagine what life would be like without being able to hear or communicate? Everything is so quiet 24/7. You can't hear your favorite music, people talking, an alarm clock, barking dog, baby crying. There is no noise. You might feel lonely in hearing world. You might feel it was unfair.
What happens if you suddenly stop hearing?
Sudden sensorineural (“inner ear”) hearing loss (SSHL), commonly known as sudden deafness, is an unexplained, rapid loss of hearing either all at once or over a few days. SSHL happens because there is something wrong with the sensory organs of the inner ear. Sudden deafness frequently affects only one ear.
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What happens if you ignore hearing loss?
Hearing loss can have unwelcome companions—like heart disease; diabetes; chronic kidney disease; depression; cognitive decline, dementia or Alzheimer's disease; increased risk of falling; increased hospitalizations.
How serious is sudden hearing loss?
Sudden hearing loss is a medical emergency. Although many people experiencing sudden deafness recover, rapid treatment is crucial. Studies show that SSHL affects one of every 5,000 U.S. adults annually, typically in their late 40s through early 60s.
Is no hearing a disability?
Hearing as Disability
Hearing loss is classed as a disability if it affects your daily life in an educational, social or professional way. For example, if your child has hearing loss, they may not be able to follow teachers at school if you can't understand a conversation.
How does not hearing affect your brain?
Hearing loss can make the brain work harder, forcing it to strain to hear and fill in the gaps. That comes at the expense of other thinking and memory systems. Another possibility: Hearing loss causes the aging brain to shrink more quickly.
Can you still speak if you lose your hearing?
If someone has never heard spoken language, they are usually unable to talk at all. However, if they lost their hearing later in life, they may have some vocal capabilities that allow them to speak.
Will my hearing get worse if I don't wear a hearing aid?
For those experiencing hearing loss, many often wonder if their hearing gets worse if they don't wear a hearing aid. If you have hearing loss and have been advised to wear a hearing aid, the rate at which your hearing deteriorates will not be affected whether you wear the hearing aid or not.
What is the new drug that restores hearing?
The REGAIN trial, the results of which were published in Nature Communications, was the first study of a treatment aimed at restoring lost hearing, focusing on a drug with the technical name gamma secretase inhibitor LY3056480.
What do deaf people struggle with daily?
Additionally, the hearing impaired have to be much more cautious when navigating certain daily situations, such as driving, crossing the street, and engaging in other public settings. Car horns, sirens, and verbal warnings from those around them may be difficult or impossible to hear, which can leave them vulnerable.
What are the effects of not being heard?
This sense of not being truly heard or understood is a major source of distress in many relationships. It leaves you wondering if your partner even cares about your thoughts and feelings. Over time, feeling unheard can erode your self-esteem, damage trust and intimacy, and lead to patterns of resentment or withdrawal.
What happens if hearing loss goes untreated?
Studies have linked untreated hearing loss effects to: Avoidance or withdrawal from social situations. Reduced alertness and increased risk to personal safety. Impaired memory and ability to learn new tasks.
Can you talk without hearing?
Some deaf people don't really have vocal capability but will try their best to speak. Others have some residual hearing left. They may be hard of hearing, and may be able to speak. Then there are those with even more residual hearing who may speak well and use speech reading to follow along in conversation.
What are the dangers of hearing loss?
Studies have shown that older adults with hearing loss have a greater risk of developing dementia than older adults with normal hearing. Cognitive abilities (including memory and concentration) decline faster in older adults with hearing loss than in older adults with normal hearing.
How does your body warn you that dementia is setting in?
Sometimes people feel sad and moody, or experience changes in their behaviour. But a person living with dementia may experience more severe changes. For example, they may quickly become tearful or upset for no obvious reason. They may be confused, fearful, suspicious and withdraw from others.
What are the three effects of hearing loss?
difficulty hearing other people clearly and misunderstanding what they say, especially in noisy places. asking people to repeat themselves. listening to music or watching TV with the volume higher than other people need. difficulty hearing on the phone.
Can I sue my employer for hearing loss?
If you lose your hearing because of loud noise exposure in your workplace, you may have legal options to pursue compensation and hold your employer accountable. A California workers' compensation lawyer can help you with the steps you can take if you lose your hearing because of workplace noise.
What is the disability called when you can't hear?
"Deaf" usually refers to a hearing loss so severe that there is very little or no functional hearing. "Hard of hearing" refers to a hearing loss where there may be enough residual hearing that an auditory device, such as a hearing aid or FM system, provides adequate assistance to process speech.
What is the most common cause of hearing loss?
The most common cause of acquired hearing loss is noise, which accounts for over one quarter of people affected by hearing loss. You can protect your hearing by reducing your exposure to loud noise or wearing suitable protection such as ear muffs or ear plugs.
What is an ear stroke?
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL), sometimes called an “ear stroke,” is a serious condition where an individual experiences a rapid decline in hearing, in either one or both ears. This loss can happen suddenly or develop over a few days.
Will hearing loss get worse?
When hearing loss goes untreated, parts of the brain that process sound literally shrink, known as brain atrophy. This means you need to wear your hearing aids regularly. Your hearing may still worsen over time, but regular check-ups with your hearing specialist will ensure your hearing aids are programmed correctly.
What is the best treatment for sudden hearing loss?
It is generally accepted that steroids (cortisone), taken orally over 1 to 2 weeks, are the single most beneficial treatment for sudden hearing loss, although they do not lead to improvement in every case. Sometimes an additional (“booster”) dose of steroids is injected directly into the ear.