Is age a factor in the advancement of hearing loss? Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent conditions affecting all adults as they age, but it is a gradual process. Half of people over the age of 75 have trouble with their hearing, as a matter of fact.
Presbycusis
The slowly developing condition of hearing loss as we age is generally known as presbycusis. There is no one definitive cause for this occurrence, but it is typically considered a combo of many factors.
As we get older, our ears undergo changes. There are little hair cells in our inner ear that help us to hear. They pick up sound waves and translate them into nerve signals that our brain utilizes to interpret sound.
The onset of hearing loss happens when the hair cells are damaged or destroyed. These hair cells do not restore or grow back, so any hearing loss is irreversible.
Some of the triggers of hearing loss include the following:
- Wearing headphones when listening to loud music can increase the risk.
- Specific medical disorders including diabetes can lead to hearing loss.
- Heredity plays a role in hearing loss.
- Loud noises like going to concerts regularly or working in a setting with continual loud noise.
- Smoking raises the risk of hearing loss.
- Certain medicines including chemotherapy drugs increase the risk.
Some typical symptoms of age-related hearing loss
Common symptoms of presbycusis include lack of clearness when people talk, difficulty hearing soft voices including kids, and difficulty hearing when there is background sound.
Other indicators of hearing loss include frequently needing people to repeat what they said, ringing in the ears, and needing to turn up the volume on the TV.
The benefit of dealing with age-related hearing loss
Quality of life will be negatively affected by neglected hearing loss. Neglected hearing loss is linked to depression, despair, anxiousness, mental decline, diminishing social relationships, and the risk of dementia.
These problems can, to a great extent, be avoided by having your hearing loss treated with solutions such as hearing aids, telephone amplifiers, lip reading, a cochlear implant, or if your hearing loss is extreme, sign language.
No one should need to cope with age-related hearing loss. You can still have a full and enjoyable life.
If you or someone you love is coping with hearing loss, contact us today to schedule a hearing assessment!
References
Older Adults — Hearing Health Foundation
Hearing Loss: A Common Problem for Older Adults | National Institute on Aging (nih.gov)
Seniors and Hearing Loss – American Academy of Audiology
