Does hearing loss get worse as you age? Hearing loss is a common slowly advancing condition that affects all adults. 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 age. There’s no one definitive cause for this to happen, but it is normally considered a combination of many factors.
Changes happen in our inner ear as we age. There are tiny hair cells in your ears that detect waves of sound and transmit the signals to the brain to be interpreted as sound.
The beginning of hearing loss happens when the hair cells become damaged or destroyed. These hair cells don’t regenerate or grow back, so any hearing loss is irreversible.
Some of the triggers of hearing loss include the following:
- Smoking raises the risk of hearing loss.
- Hearing loss risk is increased by some drugs including chemotherapy drugs.
- Hearing loss can be genetics.
- Specific medical disorders including diabetes can lead to hearing loss.
- Exposure to loud sound frequently over long time periods.
- The risk of hearing loss is increased by frequently listening to loud music, especially with headphones.
Some common symptoms of age-related hearing loss
When you have difficulty hearing soft voices, children’s voices, voices when there is a lot of background sound, and an overall lack of resolution when somebody speaks are all symptoms of Presbycusis.
Additionally, increasing the TV volume, asking people to repeat what they said, and ringing in your ears can also be indications of hearing loss.
The benefit of dealing with age-related hearing loss
Neglected hearing loss decreases quality of life. Neglected hearing loss is linked to depression, despair, stress, mental decline, poor social relationships, and the risk of dementia.
Rather than dealing with these problems, consider possible treatments, like hearing aids, sign language for those with severe hearing loss, telephone amplifiers, lip reading, or a cochlear implant.
Suffering with age-related hearing loss isn’t something that anybody should have to do. You can still live a complete and enjoyable life.
Consult us today to schedule your hearing examination 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