Does hearing loss worsen as you get older? Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent conditions impacting all adults as they get older, but it is a gradual process. Half of people older than 75 have difficulty with their hearing, as a matter of fact.
Presbycusis
Presbycusis is defined as age-related hearing loss or the slow process of hearing loss as we age. There’s no one definitive cause for this occurrence, but it is typically considered to be a combo of many factors.
Changes occur in our inner ear as we age. There are little hair cells in your ears that detect waves of sound and communicate the signals to the brain to be translated as sound.
When these tiny hair cells become damaged or destroyed, hearing loss is the outcome. Hearing loss that is the result of damage to these hairs is permanent as these hairs never restore.
Some of the triggers of hearing loss include the following:
- Particular medications including chemotherapy drugs raise the risk.
- The risk of hearing loss is raised by smoking.
- Hearing loss can be the outcome of several medical conditions, including diabetes.
- Heredity plays a factor in hearing loss.
- Loud noises like going to concerts frequently or working in an environment with consistent loud noise.
- Using headphones when listening to loud music can increase the risk.
Some typical symptoms of age-related hearing loss
Common symptoms of presbycusis include lack of clearness when people talk, trouble hearing soft voices like children, and trouble hearing when there is background sound.
In addition, raising the TV volume, asking people to repeat what they said, and ringing in your ears can also be indications of hearing loss.
Managing age-related hearing loss is important
Quality of life will be negatively impacted by untreated hearing loss. Anxiousness, depression, sadness, social isolation, compromised 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.
These issues can, to a great degree, be avoided by getting your hearing loss treated with strategies such as hearing aids, telephone amplifiers, lip reading, a cochlear implant, or if your hearing loss is extreme, sign language.
Struggling with age-related hearing loss isn’t something that anybody should have to do. There are ways to enjoy your life again.
Contact us today to schedule your hearing test and to discuss 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
