WASHIHNGTON — Have you run out of gift ideas for Father’s Day? Well, this one might just be what the doctor ordered.
“Father’s Day is a great time for families to encourage dad to get his hearing tested,” says Carole Rogin on behalf of the Better Hearing Institute. She says increasing evidence shows hearing loss is linked to other health issues in men, like sleep apnea, which is more prevalent in men than women.
Rogin says heart health and hearing health are linked. “Some medical experts say that the inner ear is so sensitive to blood flow that it’s possible that abnormalities in the cardiovascular system could be seen in the ear earlier than in other parts of the body, ” she says.
Rogin says almost half the population over age 65 report some degree of hearing loss that interferes with their daily life. “Our research indicates people who treat their hearing loss can make as much as 30k a year more than people who have a hearing loss and don’t do anything about it,” she says.
But if left untreated, hearing loss negatively impacts a person’s quality of life. “Research shows hearing loss is often associated with physical, mental and emotional health conditions,” she says.
She says the only treatment available for the vast majority of people with hearing loss is a hearing aid, if it’s recommended. She says hearing loss is tied to depression and is twice as common in those with diabetes.
The number of young men with hearing loss is on the rise. The reason, Rogin says, is the increased use of portable electronic devices. For a simple and free online hearing check, go to www.BetterHearing.org.
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