Tom is getting a brand new knee and he’s really jazzed! Look, as you age, the types of things you get excited about change. His knee replacement means he will experience less pain and be able to get out and about a lot better. So Tom goes in, the operation is a success, and Tom goes home!
But that’s not the end of it.
The knee doesn’t heal as well as it should. An infection sets in, and Tom ends up back in the hospital for another knee surgery. Tom isn’t as excited by this point. The nurses and doctors have come to the realization that Tom wasn’t following their advice and guidelines for recovery.
Tom didn’t purposely deviate from the guidelines. The problem is that he didn’t hear them. Tom can feel a little better in the fact that he isn’t alone: there’s a solid link between hospital visits and hearing loss.
More hospital visits can be the consequence of hearing loss
By now, you’re most likely acquainted with the common drawbacks of hearing loss: you become more withdrawn from your loved ones, you raise your risk of social solitude, and have an increased risk of getting dementia. But we’re finally beginning to comprehend some of the less apparent disadvantages to hearing loss.
One of those relationships that’s becoming more evident is that hearing loss can result in an increase in emergency room trips. One study found that people with hearing loss have a 17% higher risk of needing a trip to the emergency room and a 44% higher chance of readmission later.
Is there a connection?
There are a couple of reasons why this could be.
- Your likelihood of readmission substantially increases once you’re in the hospital. Readmission occurs when you’re discharged from the hospital, spend some time at home, and then have to go back to the hospital. Complications sometimes occur that result in this readmission. In other cases, readmission might be the outcome of a new problem, or because the original issue wasn’t properly addressed.
- Untreated hearing loss can negatively impact your situational awareness. Anything from a stubbed toe to a car accident will be more likely to happen if you’re not aware of your surroundings. These sorts of injuries can, obviously, send you to the hospital (if you stub your toe hard enough).
Chances of readmission increases
So why are those with untreated hearing loss more likely to be readmitted to the hospital? There are a couple of reasons for this:
- When your doctors and nurses give you guidelines you might not hear them very well because of your untreated hearing loss. You won’t be able to effectively do your physical therapy, for example, if you fail to hear the guidelines from your physical therapist. Whether you’re still in the hospital or at home, your recovery time could be greatly increased.
- If you’re unable to hear your recovery instructions, you won’t know how to care for yourself as you continue recovering at home. If you can’t hear the instructions (and particularly if you’re not aware that you aren’t hearing your instructions properly), you’re more likely to reinjure yourself.
For instance, let’s say you’ve recently undergone knee replacement surgery. Your surgeon may tell you not to take a shower for the next 3 weeks, but you hear 3 days instead. And you could find yourself back in the hospital with a severe infection.
Keeping track of your hearing aids
At first glance, the answer here might seem simple: just wear your hearing aids! Sadly, in the early stages of hearing loss, it frequently goes unnoticed because of how gradually it progresses. The solution here is to make an appointment for a hearing exam with us.
Even after you’ve taken the measures and invested in a set of hearing aids, there’s still the possibility of losing them. Hospital visits are frequently quite chaotic. Which means there’s lots of potential to lose your hearing aids. Knowing how to deal with hearing aids during a hospital stay can help you remain engaged in your care.
Tips for preparing for a hospital visit when you have hearing loss
Knowing how to get ready for a hospital stay when you’re dealing with hearing loss can prevent lots of headaches (and other discomfort) in the future. There are some easy things you can do:
- Urge your loved ones to advocate on your behalf. You should always be advocating for yourself in a hospital setting.
- Use your hearing aids whenever you can, and when you aren’t wearing them, make certain to keep them in the case.
- Make sure that the hospital staff is aware of your hearing loss. The more informed you are about your hearing loss, the less likelihood there is for a miscommunication to occur.
- Don’t forget to bring your case. Having a case for your hearing aid is very important. This will make them a lot easier to keep track of.
- Be aware of your battery power. Bring spares if you need them and charge your hearing aids when you can.
The key here is to communicate with the hospital at every phase. Your doctors and nurses should be made aware of your hearing loss.
Hearing loss can cause health issues
It’s important to recognize that your hearing health and your overall health are closely linked. After all, your hearing can have a substantial impact on your general health. In many ways, hearing loss is the same as a broken arm, in that each of these health issues requires prompt treatment in order to prevent possible complications.
You don’t have to be like Tom. Keep your hearing aids close the next time you need to go in for a hospital stay.