Man hospitalized from a fall related to his untreated hearing loss.

Important health information is missed by about 43% of patients who are 60 or older, as reported by recent studies. At a time when heeding medical guidance is so essential, patients might be missing important details related to their care.

Hearing Loss – A Worldwide Epidemic

Hearing loss isn’t a small matter. Globally, one third of individuals who are 65 or older have debilitating hearing loss.

But shockingly, if we go a little deeper we discover that only 30% of those people who suffer from debilitating hearing loss have taken steps to improve their situation. This trend isn’t good news for medical care as we’ll illustrate next.

With Health Care – Communication is Essential

Miscommunication is one of the primary causes of medical errors, and medical errors are still one of the leading causes of death. A study from Harvard showed that as many as 37% of serious injuries that were caused by medical errors could have been avoided with improved communication. An improved ability to communicate essential information with patients could save lives.

How Medical Care is Impacted by Hearing Loss

When you are talking to pharmacists, nurses, or doctors there is some info you won’t want to miss so let’s not dwell on statistics.

When it comes to reaching health objectives, the advice of health care professionals is a vital factor. They might talk about what healthy levels are for things like blood sugar or blood pressure. They may tell you to avoid certain foods to prevent spikes in these numbers that can do you harm. Dealing with your condition could get away from you if you miss important advice.

These medical providers might explain danger zones that suggest that you need medical care. You might not get the assistance that you require because you didn’t completely understand what your doctor was saying.

Your pharmacist may try to warn you about dangerous side effects or drug interactions. You believe you heard everything but you lose an important detail and end up in the hospital.

Your physical therapist puts you on a strength-building program but warns you not to engage in a certain activity. You might suffer a serious fall because you missed that advice.

Why Communicating Medical Information is Especially Demanding

Taking medical data in the correct context is particularly difficult. When you miss some piece of information due to your hearing loss, you use context to attempt to fill in what you missed. Compensating for hearing loss is something your brain is in fact pretty good at. You may even come to believe that you heard something that you really didn’t hear, it’s that good at compensating.

The meaning of a sentence can be completely changed, when addressing medical information, with something as basic as a “don’t” or “not”. One misunderstood number could completely change a dosage, a goal, or a danger zone.

The smallest detail makes a big difference when it comes to medical care. When those little details are missed, it can produce serious medical issues.

Having Your Hearing Loss Addressed

You could be missing essential medical advice if you suffer from hearing loss. It’s time to deal with that and get your hearing back.

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The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.
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