Does hearing loss worsen as you get older? Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions impacting all adults as they age, but it’s a slow process. Half of people over the age of 75 have trouble 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 get older. There’s no one definitive cause for this to happen, but it is typically considered a combo of many factors.
Changes occur in our inner ear as we grow older. There are tiny hair cells in our inner ear that help us to hear. They detect sound waves and translate them into nerve signals that our brain uses to interpret sound.
When these little hair cells become damaged or die, hearing loss is the result. These hair cells do not regenerate or grow back, so any hearing loss is irreversible.
A few of the causes of hearing loss include the following:
- Exposure to loud sound frequently over long time periods.
- Certain medicines including chemotherapy drugs increase the risk.
- Smoking increases the risk of hearing loss.
- Hearing loss runs in familiess.
- Wearing headphones when listening to loud music can increase the risk.
- Various medical conditions including diabetes can result in hearing loss.
Some typical symptoms of age-related hearing loss
When you have trouble making out soft voices, kid’s voices, voices when there is a lot of background sound, and a general lack of clarity when somebody speaks are all symptoms of Presbycusis.
Additionally, increasing the TV volume, asking others to repeat what they said, and ringing in your ears can also be signs of hearing loss.
Managing age-related hearing loss is essential
Untreated hearing loss reduces quality of life. Anxiety, depression, despair, 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 problems, think about possible treatments, such as hearing aids, sign language for those with 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 take pleasure in your life again.
Consult us today to schedule your hearing examination and to go over 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