Is age a factor in the development of hearing loss? Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent conditions impacting all adults as they age, but it’s a gradual process. Half of people older than 75 have trouble with their hearing, as a matter of fact.
Presbycusis
The slowly developing condition of hearing loss as we get older is generally known as presbycusis. Usually, there will be a combination of elements contributing to this condition.
Changes occur in our inner ear as we age. There are little hair cells in your ears that detect waves of sound and transmit the signals to the brain to be translated as sound.
When these tiny hair cells become damaged or die, hearing loss is the consequence. Hearing loss that is the outcome of damage to these hairs is permanent as these hairs never regenerate.
The following are some causes of hearing loss:
- Exposure to loud sound frequently over long periods of time.
- Specific medical conditions like diabetes can lead to hearing loss.
- Hearing loss can be genetics.
- Particular medications including chemotherapy drugs raise the risk.
- The risk of hearing loss is increased by frequently listening to loud music, particularly with headphones.
- Smoking increases the risk of hearing loss.
Common symptoms of age-related hearing loss
When you have difficulty hearing soft voices, kid’s voices, voices when there is a lot of background sound, and an overall lack of clarity when somebody talks are all symptoms of Presbycusis.
Other signs of hearing loss include regularly asking people to repeat what they said, ringing in the ears, and needing to turn the volume up on the TV.
The benefit of managing age-related hearing loss
Untreated hearing loss decreases quality of life. Anxiety, depression, despair, social withdrawal, compromised relationships, and an increased risk of developing dementia are all ways that neglected hearing loss can have a negative effect on your quality of life.
These issues can, to a great degree, be avoided by having your hearing loss treated with solutions like hearing aids, telephone amplifiers, lip reading, a cochlear implant, or if your hearing loss is severe, sign language.
Struggling with age-related hearing loss isn’t something that anybody should have to do. There are ways to take pleasure in your life again.
If you or somebody you love is dealing 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
