Why is hearing loss common in elderly?
Show Therese Walden, AuD, gave a brief overview of age-related hearing loss and the importance of seeing an audiologist. If you are experiencing hearing loss, find an audiologist in your area and schedule a screening today. Age-Related Hearing LossOne in three people older than age 60 have hearing loss, and one in two people older than age 85 have hearing loss.1 Hearing loss related to the aging process is called presbycusis and it is a combination of changes to
Presbycusis typically is a gradual hearing loss that first affects the high-pitched sounds and it is noticed by the subtle changes in hearing over time. Common symptoms of presbycusis include having difficulty hearing softer voices, children’s voices, and speech in the presence of background noises, as well as the loss of speech clarity. Hearing loss due to aging can be increased by other factors such as diabetes, poor circulation, noise exposure, and certain medications. Some additional facts concerning hearing loss and aging include:
People with untreated hearing loss (those with hearing loss who do not wear hearing aids) experience a decreased quality of life. Untreated hearing loss has been linked to issues such as sadness, depression, anxiety, paranoia, cognitive decline, and poor social relationships. One way of treating age-related hearing loss is with hearing aids. Today’s hearing aids are digital microcomputers that can automatically adjust to sound thousands of times per second, making speech comfortable and natural sounding. Hearing Aid Facts
Common Signs of Hearing Loss
Want to learn more about adult hearing care? Access the Academy’s Guide to Adult Hearing Care here. PreventionAlthough hearing loss with age is inevitable, there are some steps you can take to prevent your hearing loss from getting worse. Day-to-day, you should consider avoiding loud sounds, using ear protection when around loud sounds, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Research has shown that the “use it or lose it” principle applies to our ears. Untreated hearing loss can lead to a deteriorated understanding of speech over time. Treating hearing loss early is highly recommended. If you think you or a loved one has a hearing loss, visit “Find an Audiologist” in your area and schedule a hearing screening today! References1NIH Pub. No. 97-4235, March 2016. 2NIH Hearing Loss: A Common Problem for Older Adults https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/hearing-loss-common-problem-older-adults Why does hearing loss occur with aging?Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss, comes on gradually as a person gets older. It seems to run in families and may occur because of changes in the inner ear and auditory nerve. Presbycusis may make it hard for a person to tolerate loud sounds or to hear what others are saying.
How common is hearing loss among older adults?What is presbycusis? Age-related hearing loss (or presbycusis) is the gradual loss of hearing in both ears. It's a common problem linked to aging. One in 3 adults over age 65 has hearing loss.
Why older people lose high frequency hearing first?Why does it happen? As we get older, degeneration within the inner ear and along the nerve pathways to the brain can impact our hearing. Most of the time, these changes are related to the health of tiny hair cells in the inner ear that help us hear.
What is the most common cause of hearing loss in adults?The most common cause of acquired hearing loss is noise, which accounts for over one quarter of people affected by hearing loss. You can protect your hearing by reducing your exposure to loud noise or wearing suitable protection such as ear muffs or ear plugs.
|