Fatigue and Hearing Loss: Investigating the Connection

From the outside, anybody who is looking at the concept of hearing loss may not necessarily consider the mental health aspects, or even other related health conditions. Fatigue is something that we all experience, and there are a number of factors that contribute to this in life. While fatigue can have numerous underlying causes, there can be a connection between exhaustion and hearing loss.

What is Fatigue in the Context of Hearing Loss?

Fatigue is a feeling of tiredness or exhaustion arising from physical or mental exertion or a number of lifestyle factors. When we look at this through the prism of hearing loss that affects millions of people worldwide, the relationship between fatigue and hearing loss is one that is yet to be studied in great depth.

Some studies have noted that people with hearing loss could experience greater levels of fatigue in everyday life, which can be partly due to an increased requirement for effort. From the outside, this makes complete sense because if we have to exert ourselves beyond our general capabilities, we would expect to experience some degree of fatigue in the short term. Cognitive tasks, such as visual processing or memory rehearsal, or any other form of exertion like hearing, can impact the ease of communication.

Put simply, when hearing loss is present, the brain needs to work harder to compensate for the loss of this function and work harder to process the same information. This can be not just traced to people with hearing difficulties, but those who experience symptoms of ADHD can find it harder to concentrate in environments where there’s a vast array of stimuli. When somebody is experiencing hearing loss and does not have any additional support like a hearing aid, they will have to work harder to concentrate, resulting in short-term fatigue. Over time, this can contribute to a greater sense of fatigue because of the stress involved.

What is the Impact of Hearing Loss and Fatigue on Daily Life?

Anybody experiencing fatigue in the short-term arising from stress can find lifestyle challenges far more complex. Relating this to the specific difficulties people face when coming to terms with hearing loss cannot just cause problems in terms of concentrating on conversations more intensively, but there can be a number of knock-on effects due to the overall effort required by an individual experiencing hearing loss.

One of the most common impacts of people who are experiencing some form of hearing loss is a tendency to withdraw or isolate themselves. This can be due to the effort required and the associated fatigue, but it can also be a reaction to the sudden change in life. It’s not uncommon for people with hearing difficulties to withdraw from daily life because they either find it too difficult to keep up with conversations without any form of hearing support, or dealing with the notion that their bodies are failing them somewhat can be overwhelming.

What is the Solution to Prevent Hearing Loss-Related Fatigue?

Because fatigue can be directly related to lifestyle, hearing loss, as well as other medical conditions in the individual, it is vital for an individual experiencing hearing loss or fatigue to understand the shared risk factors between the two so they can have greater insight into the relationship between the two conditions, but also get extra support.

An audiologist is someone who will be able to give greater support to someone experiencing some form of hearing loss. If someone is experiencing fatigue due to hearing loss, consulting an audiologist for a hearing test should be the first logical step. There can be a stigma attached to having a hearing aid; however, someone experiencing some form of hearing loss can immediately benefit from having this level of support. Because a hearing aid is able to reduce that sense of effort required by the brain to focus on conversations, this means a greatly reduced level of fatigue, resulting in improved wellbeing.

Getting the Support You Need

Many people find it overwhelming to come to terms with some form of hearing loss, and those at a younger age may feel that it’s unnecessary to consult an audiologist for support. However, if you are someone reading this who finds themselves increasingly overwhelmed in locations with lots of noise and find it difficult to focus on conversations, but also finds it exhausting to do this on a regular basis, could benefit from getting their hearing checked. If you want to find out more, you can get in contact with us at Professional Hearing Aid Associates at (785) 940-4101, and we will be ready to give you support.