Does hearing loss get worse as you get older? Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent conditions impacting all adults as they age, but it’s a slow process. Actually, over one half of people 75 and older have trouble hearing.
Presbycusis
The slowly developing condition of hearing loss as we get older is generally known as presbycusis. Typically, there will be a combination of factors contributing to this condition.
As we get older, our ears undergo changes. 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.
The beginning of hearing loss occurs when the hair cells are damaged or destroyed. These hair cells do not regenerate or grow back, so any hearing loss is irreversible.
The following are a few causes of hearing loss:
- Certain medicines including chemotherapy drugs increase the risk.
- Heredity plays a factor in hearing loss.
- The risk of hearing loss is raised by smoking.
- Certain medical conditions like diabetes can lead to hearing loss.
- Wearing headphones when listening to loud music can increase the risk.
- Loud noises such as going to concerts regularly or working in an environment with consistent loud noise.
Some typical symptoms of age-related hearing loss
When you have a tough time making out soft voices, children’s voices, voices when there is a lot of background sound, and a general lack of clarity when somebody talks are all symptoms of Presbycusis.
Other signs of hearing loss include regularly needing people to repeat what they said, ringing in the ears, and needing to crank the volume up on the TV.
Managing age-related hearing loss is essential
Quality of life will be negatively impacted by untreated hearing loss. Untreated hearing loss is connected to depression, despair, anxiousness, cognitive decline, diminishing social relationships, and the risk of dementia.
Rather than dealing with these problems, consider possible treatments, including hearing aids, sign language for people who have extreme hearing loss, telephone amplifiers, lip reading, or a cochlear implant.
No one should need to cope with age-related hearing loss. You can still live a complete and enjoyable life.
Contact us today to schedule your hearing examination and to talk about 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