As we age we tend to think that hearing loss only affects the older generation. The majority of us have had past experiences with older people attempting to comprehend words and phrases, or wearing hearing aids.
But much like 30 or 60 only seemed old to you up until it quickly drew near, when you discover more concerning hearing loss, you come to understand that it has less to do with aging and far more to do with something else.
Feeling old is the main reason why people can’t admit they have hearing loss.
It Doesn’t Matter how old you are, you Might Still get Hearing Loss
Even before we turn 13, hearing specialists can already identify some hearing loss in 13% of cases. Obviously, somebody who is 12 is not “old”. Within 30 years there has been a 33% rise in teenage hearing loss.
What’s at work here?
Out of all 45 – 55-year olds, 2% presently suffer from disabling hearing loss, and with 55 – 65-year-olds it’s 8%.
The problem is not with aging. It’s absolutely possible to avoid, despite the fact that most people may think of it as an aging problem. And you have the ability to appreciably reduce the advancement of your hearing loss.
Age-related hearing loss, identified medically as sensorineural hearing loss, is most commonly caused by loud noise.
For generations hearing loss was believed to be inevitable when you get older. However thanks to modern science we understand much more about hearing loss prevention and also hearing regeneration.
The Reason why Loud Noise Causes Hearing loss
You must recognize that loud noise is not harmless if you desire to start to protect your hearing.
Waves of pressure are what makeup sound. Going down into your ear these waves go beyond your eardrum and into the inner ear.
Here, little hair cells in your inner ear vibrate. Which hair cells vibrate, and how quickly or frequently they vibrate, become a neurological code. Your brain can render this code into crowd noise, rushing water, a car horn, a cry for help or whatever else you may hear.
The problem is at the time the inner ear is exposed to noises that are too loud, these hair cells vibrate too fast. They die because the vibrations are too strong for them to deal with.
If you don’t have them, you can’t hear.
Why Noise-Induced Hearing Loss is Irreversible
If you cut yourself, the injury heals. These little cells do not heal. When they are gone, they are lost forever. The more you’re subjected to loud noises, the more of these tiny cells die.
Hearing loss progresses as they die.
There are Noises That are Common Which Will Cause Hearing Damage
Many people are surprised to find out that routine activities can be the cause of hearing loss. You may not question:
- 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
- Being a musician
You don’t have to quit these activities. The good thing is, you can take proactive measures to lessen noise-related hearing loss.
Don’t Permit Hearing Loss Make you Feel old
You can acknowledge that you suffer from hearing problems without having to feel old. The longer you disregard it, the worse it’s going to get, and you will end up feeling older much sooner because of:
- Increased Fall Risk
- Social Isolation
- More frequent trips to the ER
- Strained relationships
It’s considerably more likely for people with untreated hearing loss to be dealing with one or more of these.
How can you Stop Continued Hearing Damage?
Learning how to avoid hearing loss is the first thing you should do.
- Sound meter apps are readily available for your cellphone which can show you how loud things actually are.
- Learn about hazardous volumes. Above 85 dB (decibels) can cause permanent hearing loss in only 8 hours. 110 dB takes about 15 minutes to cause irreversible hearing loss. 120 dB and higher will cause instant hearing loss. A gunshot is 140 to 170 dB.
- You should know that you have already caused hearing damage if you have had a hard time hearing, or if your ears were ringing, after a concert. It will get a lot more pronounced over time.
- Use earplugs or maybe sound-dampening earmuffs when appropriate.
- Adhere to workplace hearing safety guidelines.
- Reduce your exposure time to loud sounds.
- Steer clear of standing near to loudspeakers or cranking speakers up when at home.
- Invest in earbuds/headphones that have built-in volume control. They don’t go over 90 decibels. You would have to listen nearly non-stop all day to cause irreversible damage.
- High blood pressure, not enough blood oxygen, and a few medications can make you more susceptible at lower volumes. To be certain, never listen to headphones at over 50%. Car speakers differ.
- Put on your hearing aid. Not wearing a hearing aid when you actually need them causes the brain to atrophy. It’s similar to your leg muscles. If you stop walking, it will be much more difficult to start walking again.
Schedule a Hearing Test
Are you in denial or procrastinating on it? Stop it. You need to be aware so that you can be proactive to decrease further damage.
Get in touch with Your Hearing Professional About Hearing Answers
There are not any “normal cures” for hearing loss. If you have severe hearing loss, it’s time for a hearing aid.
Do a Cost-Benefit Evaluation of Hearing Aids
Lots of sufferers are either in denial about hearing loss, or maybe, they make the decision to “tough it out.” They believe that hearing aids will make them feel old. Or maybe they believe they cost too much.
However as soon as they recognize that hearing loss will become worse faster and can cause various health and relationship issues, it’s easy to be certain that the pros well outweigh the cons.
Consult a hearing care professional now about getting a hearing evaluation. And if hearing aids are suggested, don’t worry about “feeling old.” Hearing aids today are much sleeker and more advanced than you may think!