As we get older we tend to think that hearing loss only has an affect on the older generation. You might have had older adults around you struggling to make out words or utilizing hearing aids.
But much like 30 or 60 only seemed old to you until it rapidly approached, as you learn more with regards to hearing loss, you come to understand that it has less to do with old age and far more to do with something else.
Feeling old is the biggest reason why people can’t admit they have hearing loss.
It Doesn’t Make A Difference What Your age is, you May Still Have Hearing Loss
Even in pre-teens, audiologists can already detect some amount of hearing loss in 13% of cases. You’ll agree, this isn’t because 12-year-olds are “old”. In the past 3 decades we have seen a 33% rise in teenage hearing loss.
What’s going on here?
2% of 45 – 55-year-olds and 8% of 55 – 64-year-olds presently have debilitating hearing loss.
The difficulty is not with aging. It’s totally possible to stop, although the majority of people may consider it an aging problem. And you have the ability to greatly reduce the progression of your hearing loss.
Age-related hearing loss, recognized medically as sensorineural hearing loss, is most frequently caused by noise.
For generations hearing loss was assumed to be unavoidable as you age. But thanks to modern-day science we know substantially more about hearing loss prevention and also hearing regeneration.
How Hearing Loss is Caused by Loud Noise
You should comprehend that loud noise is not harmless if you really want to begin to protect your ears.
Sound is made up of waves of pressure. These waves travel into your ear canal. They move down beyond your eardrum into your inner ear.
Tiny hair cells vibrate here in the inner ear. A neurological code is made up from how fast and how frequently these tiny little hairs vibrate. This code will be translated by your brain into the sound of crickets, someone crying for help, a jet plane, or any other sound which might be near you.
The issue is that as sounds become too loud these little hairs are injured beyond repair. The sound vibrates them to death.
Without them, you can’t hear.
Hearing Loss Caused by Loud Sound is not Reversible
If you cut your body, the wound heals. These little cells do not heal. When they die, they are lost forever. The more frequently you’re exposed to loud sounds, the more of these tiny cells you lose.
As they die, hearing loss advances.
There are Sounds That are Common Which Will Cause Hearing Loss
Most people are shocked to discover that routine activities can be the cause of hearing loss. You might not think twice about:
- Going to a concert/play/movie
- Wearing earbuds/head phones
- Turning the car stereo up too loud
- Mowing the lawn
- Using farm equipment
- Riding a motorcycle/snowmobile
- Driving on a busy highway with the windows or top down
- Working in a manufacturing plant or other loud industry
- Hunting
- Being a musician
These activities don’t need to be abandoned. The good thing is, you can take proactive measures to reduce noise-induced hearing loss.
Don’t Allow Hearing Loss Make you Feel old
You can admit that you’re suffering from hearing loss without having to feel older. The longer you neglect it, the worse it’s going to get, and you will wind up feeling older much sooner because of:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Dementia/Alzheimer’s
- Increased Fall Risk
- Social Isolation
- More frequent trips to the ER
- Strained relationships
It’s a lot more likely for people with neglected hearing loss to have problems with one or more of these.
Stop Continued Hearing Damage
The first thing you have to do is learn to counter hearing loss.
- Get a sound meter app on your cell phone, and find out how loud things really are.
- Hazardous volumes should be avoided without the correct ear protection. Above 85 dB (decibels) can cause permanent hearing damage in just 8 hours. 110 dB takes around 15 minutes to cause permanent hearing loss. 120 dB and above causes instant hearing loss. A gunshot is around 140 to 170 dB.
- Understand that If you have ever had difficulty hearing temporarily after a concert, you already caused permanent damage to your hearing. As time goes by it will get worse.
- Wear earplugs and/or sound-dampening earmuffs when necessary.
- Comply with workplace hearing protection restrictions.
- Limit your exposure time to loud sounds.
- Refrain from standing near to loudspeakers or cranking speakers up at home.
- Get earbuds/headphones that come with built-in volume control. They don’t go over 90 decibels. You would need to listen pretty much non-stop all day to cause irreversible damage.
- High blood pressure, low blood oxygen, and several medications tend to cause you to be more susceptible at lower volumes. To be safe, don’t ever listen to headphones at above 50%. Car speakers vary.
- Use your hearing aid. Not wearing a hearing aid if you need them causes the brain to atrophy. It’s similar to your leg muscles. If you stop walking, it gets much more difficult to start walking again.
Make an Appointment With a Hearing Expert
Are you in denial or procrastinating on it? Stop it. You need to be aware so you can become proactive to reduce further damage.
Have a talk with Your Hearing Specialist About Hearing Answers
There are not any “normal cures” for hearing loss. If hearing loss is severe, it could be time to buy a hearing aid.
Do a Cost-Benefit Comparison of Hearing Aids
Many sufferers are either in denial about hearing loss, or, they choose to “tough it out.” They think hearing aids make them feel old. Or perhaps they think they cost too much.
But as soon as they recognize that hearing loss will get worse faster and can cause many health and personal problems, it’s easy to be certain that the pros greatly outweigh the cons.
Call a hearing care professional now about getting a hearing test. And if hearing aids are recommended, don’t be afraid of “feeling old.” Hearing aids nowadays are much more streamlined and more advanced than you probably think!