Does hearing loss worsen as you age? Hearing loss is a common slowly developing condition that affects all adults. Half of people older than 75 have trouble with their hearing, as a matter of fact.
Presbycusis
The slowly progressing condition of hearing loss as we age is commonly known as presbycusis. Typically, there will be a combination of elements contributing to this condition.
Changes happen in our inner ear as we grow older. There are tiny hair cells in your ears that detect waves of sound and transmit the signals to the brain to be interpreted as sound.
When these little hair cells become damaged or die, hearing loss is the result. Hearing loss that is the consequence of damage to these hairs is irreversible as these hairs never regenerate.
The following are some causes of hearing loss:
- Exposure to loud sound frequently over long periods of time.
- Certain medications including chemotherapy drugs increase the risk.
- The risk of hearing loss is raised by smoking.
- Wearing headphones when listening to loud music can increase the risk.
- Specific medical disorders including diabetes can result in hearing loss.
- Heredity plays a role in hearing loss.
Typical symptoms of age-related hearing loss
Typical symptoms of presbycusis include lack of clarity when people speak, difficulty hearing soft voices like kids, and difficulty hearing when there’s background sound.
Additionally, increasing the TV volume, asking people to repeat what they said, and ringing in your ears can also be indications of hearing loss.
Treating age-related hearing loss is important
Untreated hearing loss decreases quality of life. Untreated hearing loss is linked to depression, sadness, anxiety, cognitive decline, diminishing social relationships, and the risk of dementia.
Rather than dealing with these issues, consider possible treatments, such as 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. There are ways to take pleasure in your life again.
Contact us today to schedule your hearing examination and to talk about 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