Does hearing loss worsen as you get older? Hearing loss is a common slowly advancing condition that impacts all adults. In fact, over 50% of those 75 and older have a hard time hearing.
Presbycusis
Presbycusis is defined as age-related hearing loss or the gradual process of hearing loss as we age. There’s no one definitive cause for this occurrence, but it is normally considered to be a combination of many factors.
Changes occur in our inner ear as we age. There are tiny hair cells in your ears that detect waves of sound and transmit the signals to the brain to be translated as sound.
The onset of hearing loss occurs when the hair cells become damaged or destroyed. These hair cells do not regenerate or grow back, so any hearing loss is permanent.
A few of the triggers of hearing loss include the following:
- Hearing loss risk is raised by specific medications including chemotherapy drugs.
- Various medical disorders including diabetes can result in hearing loss.
- The risk of hearing loss is increased by frequently listening to loud music, especially with headphones.
- Hearing loss runs in familiess.
- Smoking raises the risk of hearing loss.
- Loud noises like going to concerts regularly or working in a setting with continual loud noise.
Common symptoms of age-related hearing loss
When you have trouble hearing soft voices, kid’s voices, voices when there is a lot of background sound, and an overall lack of clarity when someone talks are all symptoms of Presbycusis.
Other indicators of hearing loss include regularly needing 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
Neglected hearing loss reduces quality of life. Neglected hearing loss is linked to depression, despair, anxiousness, mental decline, poor social relationships, and the risk of dementia.
These issues can, to a great extent, 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 extreme, sign language.
No one should need to cope with age-related hearing loss. There are ways to enjoy your life again.
If you or someone you love is dealing with hearing loss, call 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
