Individuals with hearing loss are at a higher danger of being involved in other injuries than people without hearing loss. This is because they are not predisposed to the sense of proper hearing that would enable them to be wary of injury-causing factors.
“With a work-related hearing loss, the advice from johnsonlawoffices.net will help you to know your rights and cause of action for compensation.”
How does hearing loss put you at a higher risk for other injuries?
In a study published in the Safety and Health Magazine, 3.6% of the over 46,000 people in Canada exposed to high noise levels at the workplace, suffered at least one work-related injury that required hospitalization.
Workers who were consistently exposed to an occupational noise level of 100 dBA or higher, were at greater risk of hospitalization for a work-related injury.
The increase in the risk of injury according to the study attributes to the fact that a worker cannot hear correctly. This can be because of wearing hearing protection, actual hearing loss or they may miss the important safety signals and communications at the workplace.
In the USA, according to Reuters Health, more than 30 million workers are predisposed to excessive noise at their place of work.
6 ways hearing loss puts you at risk for other injuries
1. Link to Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
The U.S National Institute on Aging in conjunction with the Johns Hopkins University conducted a study that shows that people with hearing loss are at a greater risk of contracting dementia that also includes Alzheimer’s disease. The chances are significantly lower for people with proper hearing.
The above investigation is as a result that dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and hearing loss share the same pathology.
Another outcome of the study is that the stress of the brain to hear causes damage predisposing you to Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
2. Higher risks of fall
Hearing loss and falling are closely connected according to an extended study by the Johns Hopkins University.
“Individuals who exhibited a hearing loss of 25 dBA, which ranks as mild hearing loss, had nearly three times the chances of falling compared to those without any hearing loss.”
For every 10 dBA above 25 dBA, the chances of falling increased by up to 1.4 times.
3. Mental Decline and Memory Impairment
Various research results have continually shown that adults who suffer from any degree of hearing loss, their cognitive ability decreased by up to 40% as compared to people with normal hearing.
Dr. Frank R. Lin remarks that there are a growing and strong connection between hearing loss and cognitive decline, which causes impairment of memory as well as a decrease in mental health.
4. Social Isolation
Hearing loss can lead to people rejecting and isolating a person since it is hard for them to hear.
“The isolation from society can be a cause of depression and anxiety among adults of all races as well as ages.”
These results are from a study done by the U.S National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.
5. Missing Danger Alerts
The speed of sound is faster than that of light and with hearing loss; it is easy to miss the threat alerts projected through sound.
These signals include law enforcement and ambulance sirens, the hooting of a car, fire alarms et al., and missing these warnings will increase your chances of an injury until when you see them, which sometimes it is already too late.
6. Auditory Deprivation
When an individual is predisposed to hearing loss and degradation, they get into a downward spiral that worsens with time. This is auditory deprivation.
Countless studies have shown that hearing loss is the greatest cause of auditory deprivation. You either use it or lose it, just like how muscles shrink in size when not exercised.
Hearing loss can be a cause of many factors ranging from work-related injuries to old age. Hearing degradation can also be because of serious underlying medical conditions.
Traumatic injuries, tumors, otosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, earwax build-up, ear infections, obstruction by foreign objects in the ear, Ménière’s disease et al. are among the 200 underlying medical conditions that will cause hearing loss.
Hearing loss also affects the income earned. At the workplace, communication is crucial in quality job performance, which can ensure a pay rise as well as a promotion. This is because communication skills are factors in job evaluations. Hearing loss will cut the chances of promotions and pay increments.
For the above reasons, it is important that you seek immediate medical attention from an ear specialist with every experience of hearing loss. Retaining and otherwise repairing of your hearing can result in the avoidance of hearing loss related injuries.
“Visit the johnsonlawoffices.net for work-related hearing loss and a physician to get your hearing repaired or maintained at normal levels.”
