Does hearing loss worsen as you age? 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 individuals 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 get older. There’s no one definitive cause for this to happen, but it is typically considered to be a combination of many factors.
As we grow older, our ears undergo 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.
When these little hair cells become damaged or destroyed, hearing loss is the result. These hair cells don’t restore or grow back, so any hearing loss is permanent.
The following are a few causes of hearing loss:
- Loud noises like going to concerts regularly or working in an environment with consistent loud noise.
- Smoking raises the risk of hearing loss.
- Hearing loss can be genetics.
- Using headphones when listening to loud music can increase the risk.
- Various medical conditions like diabetes can result in hearing loss.
- Certain medications including chemotherapy drugs raise the risk.
Typical symptoms of age-related hearing loss
Typical symptoms of presbycusis include lack of clearness when people talk, trouble hearing soft voices including children, and difficulty hearing when there is background sound.
Other indicators of hearing loss include frequently asking people to repeat what they said, ringing in the ears, and needing to turn the volume up on the TV.
The benefit of treating age-related hearing loss
Untreated hearing loss reduces quality of life. Anxiousness, depression, sadness, social isolation, jeopardized relationships, and an increased risk of developing dementia are all ways that untreated hearing loss can have a negative effect on your quality of life.
Rather than dealing with these issues, think about possible treatments, including hearing aids, sign language for people who have severe hearing loss, telephone amplifiers, lip reading, or a cochlear implant.
Struggling with age-related hearing loss isn’t something that anybody should have to do. There are ways to enjoy your life again.
If you or somebody 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