Hearing loss affects 31.5 million Americans of all ages. According to the National Institutes on Health, one-third of those Americans are aged 65-75, and 9 million are baby boomers between the ages of 45-64. Did you know that 80% of hearing impaired adults are undiagnosed and untreated?
Hearing loss is a very slow and gradual process. If you have a hearing loss you may not even recognize it. Your family, friends, or coworkers may start to point it out to you, politely at first but then may become annoyed with your “selective hearing”. They may start to joke about your loss, which can be embarrassing and hurtful, but as time passes frustration can grow. Often times, the joking turns to anger, especially if your hearing loss creates misunderstandings or your loved one tires of having to repeat everything for you. While they may be upset with your hearing loss, they are probably more disheartened that you won’t do anything about it. And of course you are aggravated with your constant struggle to hear and understand.
Not only does diminished hearing limit your communication, it also robs you of life’s simple pleasures. Listening to music, watching television, hearing in church, talking on the phone, enjoying social gatherings or understanding a movie all become a constant challenge. A far more serious effect of hearing loss is that you become dangerously unaware of your surroundings, especially in public places or when driving. How close must the fire truck or ambulance be before you hear the siren? How quickly can you locate the source of a sound? How long does it take you to hear and recognize the sound of the railroad crossing warning? Can you hear the phone ring and understand the person on the other end? Can you be able to hear the fire alarm? Can you recognize these sounds quickly or does it take time for your brain to process them? If it takes even seconds too long, those can be critical seconds lost.
Untreated hearing loss impacts every aspect of your life. Those around you might feel that you are becoming “forgetful” but in reality, you may not have heard what they said. You may just nod your head and smile but that is not the solution and others will soon notice. Often times, a hearing impaired person will become withdrawn or depressed due to the constant feeling of isolation and family and friends may confuse signs of hearing loss with those of Alzheimer’s.
But the good news is that help is available! You just have to take the first step.
Causes of Hearing Loss
The causes of hearing loss are numerous and varied. They range from easily managed wax build-up in the external ear canal to more serious issues such as diabetes or damage to the structures of the inner ear. Aging, hereditary factors and noise exposure are also major causes of hearing loss.
Signs of Hearing Loss
Since hearing loss is slow and gradual process, it can take years to recognize the problem. Some of the warning signs are:
- Hearing but not quite understanding those around you
- Difficulty hearing conversations in crowded places
- Ringing or other noises in your ears
- People complaining that you don’t to hear them or that you have “selective hearing”
- Others complaining that your TV volume is too loud
- Frequently asking others to repeat themselves
- Feeling that people are mumbling or not speaking clearly
- Difficulty understanding women or young children’s voices
- Trouble locating where sounds are coming from
