Does hearing loss get worse as you age? Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions impacting all adults as they get older, but it is a gradual process. Actually, over 50% of people 75 and older have difficulty hearing.
Presbycusis
Presbycusis is defined as age-related hearing loss or the gradual process of hearing loss as we get older. There’s no one definitive cause for this occurrence, but it is typically considered a combo of many factors.
As we grow older, our ears go through changes. There are tiny hair cells in your ears that pick up waves of sound and communicate the signals to the brain to be interpreted as sound.
The beginning of hearing loss occurs when the hair cells become damaged or destroyed. Hearing loss that is the result of damage to these hairs is permanent as these hairs never regenerate.
Some of the triggers of hearing loss include the following:
- Loud noises such as going to concerts frequently or working in an environment with consistent loud noise.
- Certain medications including chemotherapy drugs raise the risk.
- Smoking increases the risk of hearing loss.
- Wearing headphones when listening to loud music can increase the risk.
- Heredity plays a role in hearing loss.
- Various medical disorders including diabetes can lead to hearing loss.
Typical symptoms of age-related hearing loss
When you have a hard time making out soft voices, children’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 frequently needing people to repeat what they said, ringing in the ears, and needing to crank the volume up on the TV.
Treating age-related hearing loss is essential
Untreated hearing loss decreases quality of life. Anxiety, depression, despair, social withdrawal, 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.
Instead of these issues, think about possible treatments, like hearing aids, sign language for people who have severe hearing loss, telephone amplifiers, lip reading, or a cochlear implant.
Suffering with age-related hearing loss isn’t something that anybody should have to do. You can still live a complete and enjoyable life.
Consult us today to schedule your hearing examination and to go over the best treatments for your hearing loss or for someone 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
