Does hearing loss get worse as you age? Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions impacting all adults as they age, but it’s a slow process. Actually, over one half of those 75 and older have trouble hearing.
Presbycusis
The slowly developing condition of hearing loss as we age is commonly known as presbycusis. There’s no one definitive cause for this to happen, but it is usually considered to be a combo of many factors.
As we age, our ears go through changes. There are little hair cells in our inner ear that help us to hear. They detect 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 outcome. Hearing loss that is the outcome of damage to these hairs is permanent as these hairs never restore.
The following are a few causes of hearing loss:
- The risk of hearing loss is increased by regularly listening to loud music, particularly with headphones.
- Exposure to loud sound consistently over long periods of time.
- Hearing loss can be the result of several medical disorders, including diabetes.
- Some medications including chemotherapy drugs increase the risk.
- Smoking increases the risk of hearing loss.
- Heredity plays a role in hearing loss.
Typical symptoms of age-related hearing loss
When you have difficulty hearing soft voices, children’s voices, voices when there is a lot of background sound, and an overall lack of resolution when someone talks are all symptoms of Presbycusis.
In addition, increasing the TV volume, asking others to repeat what they said, and ringing in your ears can also be signs of hearing loss.
The importance of treating age-related hearing loss
Quality of life will be negatively impacted by neglected hearing loss. Anxiousness, depression, sadness, social isolation, jeopardized 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.
Rather than dealing with these issues, consider possible treatments, like hearing aids, sign language for those with severe 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. You can still have a full and enjoyable life.
Contact us today to schedule your hearing test and to go over the best treatments for your hearing loss or for somebody 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
