Is age a factor in the development of hearing loss? Hearing loss is a common slowly advancing condition that impacts all adults. Actually, over one half of people 75 and older have difficulty hearing.
Presbycusis
The slowly advancing condition of hearing loss as we get older is generally known as presbycusis. There is no one definitive cause for this occurrence, but it is usually considered to be a combo of many factors.
Changes happen in our inner ear as we age. There are tiny hair cells in your ears that pick up waves of sound and transmit the signals to the brain to be interpreted as sound.
The onset of hearing loss occurs when the hair cells become damaged or die. These hair cells do not restore or grow back, so any hearing loss is irreversible.
The following are a few causes of hearing loss:
- Smoking increases the risk of hearing loss.
- Hearing loss risk is raised by specific drugs including chemotherapy drugs.
- Wearing headphones when listening to loud music can increase the risk.
- Hearing loss can be genetics.
- Loud noises such as going to concerts regularly or working in an environment with continual loud noise.
- Hearing loss can be the result of numerous medical disorders, including diabetes.
Some common symptoms of age-related hearing loss
Common symptoms of presbycusis include lack of clarity when people speak, trouble hearing soft voices like kids, and difficulty hearing when there is background sound.
Other indicators of hearing loss include regularly asking people to repeat what they said, ringing in the ears, and needing to turn up the volume on the TV.
Treating age-related hearing loss is important
Neglected hearing loss reduces quality of life. Anxiousness, depression, despair, social isolation, compromised relationships, and an increased risk of developing dementia are all ways that neglected hearing loss can have a negative impact on your quality of life.
Instead of these issues, consider possible treatments, like hearing aids, sign language for people with extreme hearing loss, telephone amplifiers, lip reading, or a cochlear implant.
Suffering with age-related hearing loss isn’t something that anyone should have to do. There are ways to enjoy your life again.
Consult us today to schedule your hearing test and to discuss the best treatments for your hearing loss or for somebody you love.
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