Is age a factor in the advancement of hearing loss? Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent conditions impacting all adults as they get older, but it’s a slow process. Half of people over the age of 75 have difficulty with their hearing, as a matter of fact.
Presbycusis
The slowly progressing condition of hearing loss as we get older is commonly known as presbycusis. Usually, there will be a variety of elements contributing to this condition.
Changes occur in our inner ear as we grow older. There are little hair cells in our inner ear that help us to hear. They pick up sound waves and change them into nerve signals that our brain uses to interpret sound.
When these little hair cells become damaged or destroyed, hearing loss is the consequence. These hair cells do not restore or grow back, so any hearing loss is irreversible.
The following are some causes of hearing loss:
- Exposure to loud noise frequently over long periods of time.
- Various medical conditions including diabetes can result in hearing loss.
- Hearing loss can be genetics.
- Smoking raises the risk of hearing loss.
- Hearing loss risk is raised by specific medications including chemotherapy drugs.
- The risk of hearing loss is increased by frequently listening to loud music, particularly with headphones.
Typical symptoms of age-related hearing loss
When you have trouble making out soft voices, kid’s voices, voices when there is a lot of background sound, and an overall lack of resolution when somebody talks are all symptoms of Presbycusis.
Other signs of hearing loss include frequently asking people to repeat what they said, ringing in the ears, and needing to crank up the volume on the TV.
The benefit of managing age-related hearing loss
Quality of life will be negatively affected by untreated hearing loss. Neglected hearing loss is connected to depression, sadness, anxiety, cognitive decline, poor social relationships, and the risk of dementia.
Instead of these problems, think about possible treatments, such as hearing aids, sign language for people with extreme hearing loss, telephone amplifiers, lip reading, or a cochlear implant.
No one should suffer with age-related hearing loss. There are ways to take pleasure in your life again.
Contact us today to schedule your hearing examination and to discuss the best treatments for your hearing loss or for someone you love.
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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
