One of the most devastating illnesses that a person can suffer from throughout their life is hearing loss. Not only does it present a great deal of functional problems, but it can also cause problems in other areas of your health. Recent studies have shown that there is a very interesting link between depression and hearing loss. In this article we will examine the different ways that hearing loss can affect depression and the steps that can be taken to alleviate this problem.

Interesting Study Results

The first major test that was completed regarding hearing loss and depression in nearly a decade shows that there was a positive correlation between people who exhibited symptoms of hearing loss and depression. There were many individuals in the 70 and above age group that are affected by this, but the fact is that depression greatly affects people younger than this.

It has been seen as a result of increased rates of brain damage coming from hearing loss and other facts, but also that people have a diminished ability to communicate when they have hearing loss. This inability to interact socially with one another leads many people to become sullen and withdrawn; which manifests with symptoms of depression.

Who Does It Affect?

While researchers have thought about the people that are greatly affected by hearing loss, they assumed that greater prevalence would occur in older individuals. They also thought that the inability to hear was the greatest limit imposed upon people with hearing impairment. However, the initial testing by the U.S. National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders also showed the fact that depression was a complication of hearing loss, and that it was affecting people at younger ages than ever before.

The group that was studied had 18,000 individuals that had various ages between 18 and 80. Everyone under 70 self reported their hearing loss and those above took a test; both groups took a test to determine if there were depression symptoms, resulting in the findings listed above.

Is There Any Way To Help?

One of the biggest questions that have come about as a result of the test results is what can be done. Fortunately, there is help in the form of hearing aids that can improve the quality of life of people with diminished hearing. These hearing devices can help alleviate some of the symptoms of depression, but are not effective in every case. Aside from these devices, though, there is no permanent cure for hearing loss that exists on the market right now.

Perhaps you love going off to your job each day, as it provides many fulfilling experiences in your life. You probably don’t think of the effect your work environment has on your hearing, though. Certain occupations carry with them the potential for hearing loss over time due to the loud noises that occur on a daily basis. This is a growing concern as a common form of workplace injury for those immersed in a noisy environment consistently. Let’s take a look at the dangers these jobs pose to the health of your ears. You can avoid permanent damage by taking a few simple precautions.

Construction

Contractors immerse themselves in loud environments every day, thanks to all the hammering, sawing, machines and trucks that are part and parcel of a construction site. Construction workers expose themselves to acute noise trauma daily without even knowing it, so it would be wise for them to put on ear plugs or noise dampening headphones for safety.

Farming

While easily one of the most gratifying jobs to have, farming requires the daily use of loud machines and equipment that typically meet at least 85 decibels of sound – enough to cause hearing loss. Even though farmers get immense satisfaction knowing they are helping people by growing healthy crops, they often set themselves up for hearing loss.

Mining

Mining, a dangerous job any way you slice it, provides real value to everyone. Miners not only provide us with important raw materials, they also provide us with the fuel we need to heat our homes and drive our cars. Unfortunately, the loud noises coming from the heavy equipment underground, compounded by the confined space, can trigger hearing damage in workers.

Military

Offering some of the noisiest work environments around, the military features loud noises in the form of construction, explosives, tanks and artillery. This can lead to high rates of hearing loss in those within the armed forces. You up this risk when you add in the sounds of daily weapons training and exposure to heavy machines. Unfortunately, a high number of returning veterans come home with acoustic trauma, a type of hearing impairment.

Ground Workers at Airports

Airports are loud even for those in the building. Ground workers have to direct planes and jets out on the runway, and therefore must wear protective ear wear to guard again severe hearing damage. The jumbo jet noise on the runway can get up to about 160 decibels, which is double the accepted rate of 85. Over 85, and hearing loss starts to occur. Those in the commercial and military plane services industries are at an even higher risk.

Club Employee

You may not think about it much, but the individuals who work in nightclubs aren’t having nearly as much fun as the patrons are. First off, they’re there to do a job, and second, that job happens to have a lot of loud noises attached to it, from yelling to ear-splitting music. DJs, bouncers, bartenders and waitresses in particular suffer from an increased risk of hearing damage.

Dogs are a very versatile and helpful animal that are commonly trained to help disabled individuals. Everyone has heard of the Seeing Eye dog, and the benefits that are reaped by blind people that own them. However, in recent years there has been expansion in the efforts to train dogs that are able to help individuals who are hearing impaired. Their main focus has been on breeds such as Golden Retrievers and the Labrador because of their calm nature and ability to be trained. Let us discuss some of the training methods used, as well as the benefits involved with owning a trained dog for the hearing impaired.

Eligibility For The Dogs

If you are hearing impaired, there are certain requirements you must meet in order to receive a hearing companion. The first requirement is you must be at least 18 years old, and have a family member or friend that is able to help with the in-home training for the dog. You must then fill out an application to ensure the dog will be given a healthy environment to live, as well as enough room to move about. The last step in the process is that you will be required to undertake specialized canine training, and follow up annually for training. If you meet these requirements, you will be able to receive a dog that will not only make your everyday life easier, but will be an enjoyable companion for you.

Specific Training Methods

The average training span for a dog learning hearing assistance methods is between four and six months. In this time they are taught specialized tasks that will allow them to alert their owners of any danger or concerns they should have including door knocking, ringing telephones, and most importantly smoke alarms. These dogs will also be able to adapt to their surroundings and learn to alert you of sounds specific to your needs.

The Help A Trained Dog Can Provide The Hearing Impaired

It is important to both the dog and the recipient that the placement is successful. So when a dog is placed in a home, they will receive a few weeks of specialized care to make sure the dog is a good fit. After that is complete, the service dog will be able to provide multiple services to their owner that is hearing impaired. They will not only be able to alert their owners to any alarms going off in the house, but can communicate in many other situations.

An example of this would be if you are walking outside with your dog and an ambulance starts approaching, the dog would not have the proper training for that specific sound that the ambulance makes. However, the dog will be able to show signs and changes in body language that would allow you to notice that there is something wrong. In time, the dog will adjust and be able to detect most things that require your attention.

One of the facets of health that people often forget is that hearing is tied to the overall function of the body. As such, there have been many studies that have sought to link the certain body conditions with the ability to hear. One of the results found that there are certain unhealthy habits in which people participate that can cause long term harm to your hearing abilities. We will take a look at this specific habits and the damage that they can do to your health.

Smoking Cigarettes

One of the greatest unhealthy habits that harm people’s hearing is smoking. Aside from causing cancer as well as heart disease, smoking has a potent, negative effect on your hearing health. The chemicals that are released into the bloodstream can cause the dulling of receptors that are responsible for hearing low pitch sounds. This damage is acute and is only reversible in some cases.

Sedentary Lifestyle

Another one of the unhealthy habits that can harm you hearing is living a sedentary lifestyle. This is defined as eating food that has bad nutritional value and getting no meaningful exercise. This puts a person at a much higher risk for diabetes and heart disease, both of which can cause circulation problems. With poor circulation, the brain and ears can be deprived of oxygen and nutrients that are needed to maintain proper hearing.

Listening To Music On MP3

Everyone likes to use an MP3 player to get them through a boring walk or an exercise program. However, there are certain risks that are posed by using one of these devices. Primarily, the headphones that are coupled with these music players channel sound directly into the inner ear, where loud noises can cause damage. This often leads to chronic hearing problems and symptoms such as tinnitus.

Hearing Many Loud Noises

One of the other unhealthy habits that can lead to hearing loss is by exposing yourself to too many loud noises. This will happen throughout your everyday life, whether it is hearing a car start up or engines starting over and over. Over time, these noises can cause damage to the inner ear and affect your hearing in chronic, acute, but typically non-severe ways.

Failing To Visit Your Doctor

The most important thing that an adult can do is to make time to see their doctor for regular checkups. They will be able to track any changes in your hearing over time and then give you options for treatment if anything changes. You will also be able to get advice from them concerning ways to keep your body healthy as well.