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Common Facts About Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is more common than you think
Nearly 1 in 6 people have some degree of hearing loss. This medical condition is the third most common health issue people experience today. In fact, by age 65, 1 out of 3 people has challenges hearing. This increases to 1 out of 2 people by age 75 who have hearing loss.
If you’ve noticed that you are struggling to keep up during conversations or that your hearing seems to have changed, even slightly, you may be experiencing hearing loss. It is important to know that you are not alone in this experience and that there is a wealth of resources and solutions you can access to support your hearing. Hearing loss does not mean a decline in your overall health and acknowledging and addressing your symptoms early on can transform your everyday life.
Hearing loss can be caused by many factors
A range of factors can contribute to the development of hearing loss. Here are some common causes.
- Aging: Also known as presbycusis, the risk of developing age-related hearing loss increases with age. A few factors contribute to age-related hearing loss including: the cumulative impact of exposure to loud noise, changes to the ears that can happen over time, and/or existing medical conditions that older adults also experience disproportionately which increase the risk of hearing loss.
- Exposure to loud noise: One time or regular exposure to loud noise can permanently damage the sensory cells in the inner ear. This prevents these cells from effectively processing incoming sound waves, resulting in the brain receiving less auditory information. Because sensory cells do not regenerate, this damage is permanent which causes chronic hearing loss. It is estimated that over 50 million people are exposed to hazardous noise levels – in the workplace, social settings, listening to audio etc.
- Existing medical conditions: Extensive research shows that there are several medical conditions that increase the risk of hearing loss. This includes cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and osteoporosis. These conditions impact blood flow, bone health, circulation etc. which can affect how soundwaves are absorbed and processed.
- Head injuries: over 3 million head injuries occur every year. Head injuries involve force to the head which can among many things, also cause hearing loss. This type of injury can damage the bones in the middle ear, sensory cells in the inner ear, the eardrum etc. which are all critical components of the auditory system.
Other causes of hearing loss include inner ear disorders, autoimmune conditions, ototoxic chemicals and medications, and chronic ear infections.