Hearing impairment has long been associated with all kinds of other health ailments such as depression, anxiety and social isolation. But if all that didn’t convince you that you should get your hearing tested and get hearing aids if you need them, a new study out of Iceland may convince you.

Hearing Loss Leads To Increased Mortality

Researchers from the National Institute of Health and the Centers for Disease Control, along with researchers in Iceland conducted a study on almost 5000 Icelanders aged 67 and older, and found that the men in the study with hearing impairment, or both hearing and visual impairment, had an increased risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease or other causes. This research shows how important hearing loss is to predicting mortality.

Men With Hearing Loss At Higher Risk

The study also found that when it comes to hearing loss, what is true for men is not true for women. Women in the study who had hearing impairment only had slightly higher rates of mortality than women who had no impairment.

Hearing Aids Can Save Your Life

But the story doesn’t end with hearing loss. Researchers found that men and women with hearing loss who used hearing aids had significantly lower mortality risk compared to those with hearing loss who didn’t use hearing aids. Even those who were older and had more severe hearing loss had a lower risk of mortality when they used hearing aids.

Increased Mortality With Hearing Loss

What was interesting in this study was that men and women who only had vision impairment had no increased risk or mortality. That risk was correlated to hearing only.

Hearing Aids Are Life Saving

Most striking in this study is not just that hearing loss in older men is linked to mortality, but that the risk for mortality goes away once the hearing loss is corrected with hearing aids. Who knew such simple devices could be not just life-changing, but life-saving?

Get Your Hearing Tested Today and Lengthen Your Life

Don’t put yourself at risk – get your hearing tested today by one of our experienced audiologists. We are available to serve you at our 5 convenient locations in the Washington DC Metro area in McLean, Rockville, Arlington, Leesburg, and Sterling.