Does hearing loss worsen as you age? Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting all adults as they age, but it is a slow 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 gradual process of hearing loss as we get older. There’s no one definitive cause for this occurrence, but it is usually considered to be a combination of many factors.
As we get older, our ears go through changes. There are little hair cells in your ears that detect waves of sound and communicate the signals to the brain to be interpreted as sound.
When these tiny hair cells become damaged or destroyed, hearing loss is the consequence. These hair cells do not restore or grow back, so any hearing loss is permanent.
The following are a few causes of hearing loss:
- Exposure to loud sound frequently over long time periods.
- Heredity plays a role in hearing loss.
- The risk of hearing loss is raised by smoking.
- The risk of hearing loss is increased by frequently listening to loud music, especially with headphones.
- Certain medical conditions including diabetes can lead to hearing loss.
- Particular medications including chemotherapy drugs increase the risk.
Common symptoms of age-related hearing loss
Common symptoms of presbycusis include lack of clarity when people talk, difficulty hearing soft voices like children, and difficulty hearing when there is background sound.
In addition, increasing the TV volume, asking others to repeat what they said, and ringing in your ears can also be indications of hearing loss.
The benefit of managing age-related hearing loss
Untreated hearing loss reduces quality of life. Anxiety, depression, sadness, social withdrawal, compromised 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.
These problems can, to a great degree, be avoided by having your hearing loss treated with strategies such as hearing aids, telephone amplifiers, lip reading, a cochlear implant, or if your hearing loss is severe, sign language.
Suffering with age-related hearing loss isn’t something that anyone should have to do. You can still have a full and enjoyable life.
If you or someone 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