Did you know that nearly 1 in 5 people have some degree of hearing loss? Hearing loss affects over 48 million people, making it the third most common medical condition people live with today. Learning more about hearing loss and how to identify symptoms can help protect your hearing health and wellness.
Hearing loss can either be acquired or congenital. Congenital hearing loss describes hearing loss that is present at birth whereas acquired hearing loss is developed during one’s lifetime which is far more common. There are several factors that can cause acquired hearing loss which impacts people of all ages.
Causes
Hearing loss is a medical condition that reduces one’s capacity to hear and process speech as well as sound. There are a range of causes that can damage hearing, a few of the most common causes include the following:
- Aging: aging is the strongest indicator of hearing loss. Known as presbycusis, the risk of developing age related hearing loss increases with age. According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders:
- 1 in 3 adults, ages 65-74 have hearing loss
- 1 in 2 adults, ages 75 and older have disabling hearing loss.
This can be caused by a few factors including: changes that may happen to the ear over
time, the cumulative impact of loud noise exposure, and medical conditions that
disproportionately impact older adults and are linked to hearing loss.
- Loud noise: one time or regular exposure to loud noise can also irreparably damage the auditory system, causing noise induced hearing loss. Loud noise can desensitize and weaken the sensory cells in the inner ear. There are thousands of sensory cells in the cochlea which help convert incoming sound waves into electrical signals. These signals get carried to the brain where they are further processed adn assigned meaning to, allowing us to understand what we hear. Loud noise can damage sensory cells, preventing them from processing soundwaves effectively. This reduces the auditory information the brain receives, causing hearing loss.
- Medical conditions: extensive research shows that a number of medical conditions can increase the risk of hearing loss. This includes heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and osteoporosis. These conditions impact blood flow and circulation through the body, contribute to damaged blood vessels, and can impact bone health. These are critical components of the auditory system – the sensory system for hearing. Inadequate blood flow in the ears impacts how sound is processed and can contribute to hearing loss.
- Head injuries: over 3 million head injuries occur every year and in addition to impacting mobility adn cognitive functions, head injuries can also cause hearing loss. They can damage different parts of the auditory system – cells, bones, nerves etc. as well as the portions of the brain that are responsible for processing auditory information.
Other causes of hearing loss include: chronic ear infections, autoimmune conditions, and inner ear disorders.
Symptoms
Hearing loss typically occurs gradually so symptoms can remain unnoticed for quite some time. Being able to identify symptoms can help you understand what you are experiencing. Common signs include:
- Tinnitus: a buzzing or ringing noise in one or both ears.
- Sounds are slurred, muffled, or distorted.
- Struggling to hear in places with background noise (restaurants, parties).
- Lip reading to identify individual words.
- Pretending to hear.
- Being able to hear better out of one ear compared to the other.
- Increasing the volume on the TV or other electronic devices.
- Frequently asking others to speak louder, slower, or repeat themselves.
- Feeling left out of conversations, confused, or experiencing miscommunication.
These symptoms can be mild to profound, depending on the degree of hearing loss you are experiencing. To cope with these symptoms, people often avoid conversations altogether. Social withdrawal is another sign of hearing loss which can affect relationships and mental health.
Treatment
The first step you can take towards treatment is simple: scheduling an appointment for a hearing test. Hearing tests involve a painless process that measures hearing capacities in both ears. This identifies your hearing needs and allows a hearing healthcare specialist to establish treatment to meet those needs. Treatment not only transforms hearing but also health and quality of life. Contact us today to schedule an appointment for a hearing consultation, we look forward to helping you prioritize your hearing health.