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By Treating Hearing Loss, Chicago Residents May Avoid Health Problems

February 15, 2017

Filed under: Hearing Loss,Uncategorized — Tags: , , — dr_wiesman @ 11:29 pm

For hearing loss, Chicago residents come to Wiesman Nasal & SinusIf you can’t hear well, then you know the frustration. You may often need to ask people to repeat what they’ve said. Or, you may just not bother and choose to remain quiet during a conversation. But did you know that hearing loss may also lead to some unexpected health risks? Researchers at Johns Hopkins University concluded that hearing loss is linked to problems with walking, falls and even dementia. Therefore, wearing the appropriate hearing aid may not only help you hear better, but also keep you healthy. To treat hearing loss, Chicago residents can come to Wiesman Nasal & Sinus for audiology testing.

Hearing Loss and Dementia

The study at Johns Hopkins was conducted by Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D and tracked 639 adults for almost 12 years. Findings showed that mild hearing loss doubled the risk of dementia; moderate loss tripled the risk; and people who were severely hearing impaired were five times more likely to develop dementia.

According to Dr. Lin, “Brain scans show us that hearing loss may contribute to a faster rate of atrophy in the brain.” In addition, people who can’t hear well may be more socially isolated, which limits conversation—another contributing factor of dementia.

Hearing Loss and Falls

Our sense of balance is regulated deep within our ears. When we walk, our ears pick up subtle cues that assist us with maintaining balance. Hearing loss weakens these important signals. In addition, your brain must work harder to process sound when you have hearing loss. As a result, your brain may be distracted from the mental processing that is required to walk safely and avoid falling.

Treating Hearing Loss in Chicago

Here in Chicago, audiology testing is available at Wiesman Nasal & Sinus. Dr. Gary Wiesman and his team will conduct a comprehensive assessment of your hearing in order to determine the cause and severity. For some, the reason may simply be the aging process. However, people of all ages suffer hearing loss due to illness, a traumatic head injury, frequent exposure to loud noise and birth defects.

Your audiology test will show Dr. Wiesman how well you hear tones at low frequencies and whether or not you can repeat words spoken at normal volumes. He’ll also check to make sure your ear canal is not blocked with earwax, which is an easily remedied cause of hearing loss.

We offer a variety of different hearing aids. If your audiology testing shows hearing loss, we’ll help you select a hearing aid you’re comfortable with and that enhances your ability to hear and communicate.

Call Our Office Today

If you or others have noticed that you have trouble hearing, don’t wait. Call Wiesman Nasal & Sinus to schedule an evaluation that may improve your hearing and protect your mental and physical health.

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