We have many thing to worry about as we get older. Our bodies start to creak and ache, our patience begins to wear thin, and we often find ourselves with multiple health problems. One of these health problems that becomes worse the older we get is hearing loss.
Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) is the loss of hearing that gradually occurs in most of us as we grow older. It is one of the most common conditions affecting middle-aged and elderly adults.
Hearing Loss and Brain Health
Approximately one in three people in the United States between the ages of 65 and 74 have hearing loss, and nearly half of those older than 75 have difficulty hearing. Having trouble hearing can make it difficult to understand and follow a physician’s advice, respond to indications, and hear phones, doorbells, and emergency alerts. Hearing loss can also make it hard to enjoy talking with family and friends, leading to feelings of isolation and depression.
Unfortunately, individuals with moderate to severe hearing loss are also up to five times as likely to develop dementia.
According to several major studies, older adults with hearing loss—especially males— are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, compared to those with normal hearing. Men with hearing loss were 69 percent more likely to develop dementia than those with no hearing impairment.
The risk escalates as a person’s hearing loss deteriorates. Those with minor hearing impairment are nearly twice as likely to develop dementia compared to those with normal hearing. The risk increases three-fold for those with moderate hearing loss and five-fold for those with severe impairment.
Age-related hearing loss most often occurs in both ears, usually affecting them equally. This can start in middle age. Because the loss is slow, if you have age-related hearing loss you may not realize that you are actually losing your ability to hear.
Causes of Middle Age Hearing Loss
There are many causes of age-related hearing loss, so it can often be difficult to pinpoint the cause. Most commonly, it arises from seemingly invisible changes in the inner ear as we age. However, it can also result from changes in the middle ear, or from complex changes along the nerve pathways from the ear to the brain. Certain medical conditions and medications can also have an effect on hearing loss.
Many factors can contribute to hearing loss as you get older. It can be difficult to distinguish age-related hearing loss from hearing loss for other reasons, such as long-term exposure to noise.
Noise-induced hearing loss is caused by long-term exposure to sounds that are either too loud or last too long. This kind of noise exposure can damage the sensory hair cells in your ear that allow you to hear. Once these hair cells are damaged, they do not grow back, and your ability to hear is diminished.
Conditions that are more common in older people, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, can contribute to hearing loss. Medications that are toxic to the sensory cells in your ears can also cause hearing loss.
What Can You Do?
Currently, scientists don’t know how to prevent age-related hearing loss. However, you can protect yourself from noise-induced hearing loss by protecting your ears from sounds that are too loud and last too long.
If you have to shout over the noise around you, it’s loud enough to damage your hearing. Sounds from motorcycles, concert speakers, power tools like saws and drills, earphones, and more are all loud enough to make a difference.
Also, think about buying appliances and devices that have low noise ratings. If it happens to be too loud in the movie theater, restaurant, or any other place you go often, ask the manager to turn it down. It’s a good idea to carry earplugs with you, just in case you come across a loud noise.
Earplugs can reduce noise by 15 to 30 decibels. You can buy them off-the-shelf or have them custom-made to fit you. Some earplugs can even lower noise levels evenly across all frequencies. These are useful for people who need to make sound quieter but undistorted, such as musicians.
Another option is earmuffs. These fit completely over your ears and reduce sounds by about 15 to 30 decibels. They must fit tightly over both ears to block sound.
Another significant adjustment you can make is not to smoke. Tobacco can make you more likely to lose your hearing. If you aren’t a smoker, try and avoid breathing secondhand smoke.
Another important step you can take to preserve your hearing is to remove earwax properly. A buildup of wax in your ears can muffle the sound. Do not use a cotton swab to clean out your ears, as you may push the wax further in. Instead, use an at-home irrigation kit to soften the wax and gently wash it out.
See A Health Care Provider
Hearing problems can be serious. The most important thing you can do if you believe you have a hearing problem is to seek advice from a health care provider. There are several types of professionals who can help you. You might want to start with your primary care physician, an otolaryngologist, an audiologist, or a hearing aid specialist. Each has a different type of training and expertise. Each can be an essential part of your hearing health care.
If you believe you have hearing loss and live in the Las Vegas area, consider using Hearing Associates of Las Vegas for all of your hearing needs. Scheduling something as quick as a short hearing evaluation could be the difference between having your hearing deteriorate further or getting back on the path towards healthy hearing.
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