Does hearing loss get worse as you age? Hearing loss is a common gradually advancing condition that affects all adults. 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 to happen, but it is typically considered a combo of many factors.
Changes occur in our inner ear as we get older. There are little hair cells in our inner ear that help us to hear. They pick up sound waves and change them into nerve signals that our brain utilizes to translate sound.
When these little hair cells become damaged or die, hearing loss is the result. Hearing loss that is the result of damage to these hairs is permanent as these hairs never regenerate.
Some of the triggers of hearing loss include the following:
- Hearing loss runs in familiess.
- Certain medications including chemotherapy drugs increase the risk.
- Certain medical disorders including diabetes can result in hearing loss.
- Smoking raises the risk of hearing loss.
- Wearing headphones when listening to loud music can increase the risk.
- Exposure to loud noise consistently over long periods of time.
Some common symptoms of age-related hearing loss
Typical symptoms of presbycusis include lack of clarity when people talk, difficulty 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 up the volume on the TV.
Dealing with age-related hearing loss is essential
Quality of life will be negatively affected by untreated hearing loss. Untreated hearing loss is connected to depression, despair, stress, mental decline, poor social relationships, and the risk of dementia.
Instead of these issues, consider possible treatments, like 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. You can still have a full and enjoyable life.
Consult with us today to schedule your hearing test 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