Hear! Hear! All Ages Can Be Affected by Hearing Loss
Signs of Hearing Loss
Adults
- You frequently complain that people mumble
- You often ask people to repeat what they said
- Your friends or relatives say you don't seem to hear very well
- You do not laugh at jokes because you miss too much of them
- Others say that you play the TV or radio too loudly
- You often don't hear the doorbell or telephone
Children
- Your child responds to sound inconsistently
- Language and speech develop-ment is delayed
- Speech is unclear
- Sound is turned up on the radio, TV or stereo
- Your child does not respond when called
April 2003 — Hearing loss is a common result of age, with up to one-third of Americans age 65 or older affected to some degree. But millions of younger Americans also have hearing loss, and 30 million more are at risk of permanent hearing damage because of exposure to loud noise.
"Most people who have a hearing problem don't even know it," says Jackie Cordes, audiologist in the Outpatient Rehabilitation Center at Memorial Regional Hospital. "Nearly everyone who lives to old age will have some hearing loss. But with prevention, diagnosis and treatment, the damage often can be minimized."
All Ears
Hearing loss can be temporary or permanent. Temporary conditions, including tinnitis (ringing in the ears), usually go away within a few hours. Permanent hearing loss can frequently be corrected, at least partly, with hearing aids and other devices.
Temporary or permanent, hearing loss has many causes, including physical conditions such as:
- Allergies
- Disease, disorders and syndromes
- Impacted ear wax
- Infections, an especially high risk for children
- Otosclerosis (abnormal bone growth in the ear)
- Trauma to the ear or head
- Tumors of the ear
The most common reason for age-related hearing loss is presbyacusis, gradual changes in the ear that may be caused by genetics and by environmental factors. About 20 percent of those age 65 or older have some degree of presbyacusis.
Testing, Testing
Hearing tests are a quick, simple and inexpensive detection tool. Florida law requires that newborns have a hearing test before they leave the hospital, and most schools schedule regular hearing tests for children. But parents should still watch for signs that a child is not hearing properly.
Adults with no risk factors for hearing loss should be tested every decade up to age 60 and every two years after that. Adults with a risk factor such as personal or family history of hearing loss should be tested every decade up to age 60 and yearly after that, Cordes says.
Protecting your hearing is also important. These tips can help:
- Avoid noises louder than 90 decibels (about the sound of an electric drill or motorcycle)
- Wear earplugs when you will be exposed to loud noises
- See a doctor if your ears still ring 24 hours after exposure to loud noise
- Clean your ears with a washcloth, not a cotton swab
- Don't try to remove wax deep in the ear, since wax helps keep the ear healthy and is also a natural bug repellent
"Some hearing loss is inevitable. To a point, it can be minimized — and to a point, it can't," Cordes says. "Certain people are just more susceptible than others."
If you are concerned about your hearing, contact your doctor. For referral to a physician, please call the Memorial Healthcare System Physician Referral Service at
(800) 944-DOCS.