Hearing is one of our five senses that allows for better communication, safety awareness, mental health, and general enjoyment of sounds and music. However, hearing loss is prevalent, ranging from temporary to permanent loss due to loud noises, certain medications, head injuries, infection, and congenital causes. Severity of hearing loss ranges from mild to severe. People over age 50 may experience gradual hearing loss over the years due to age-related changes in the ear or auditory nerve, also known as presbycusis.
Signs of Hearing Loss
Although each person may experience symptoms of hearing loss differently, some of the most common symptoms may include:
- Inability to hear people clearly and fully. People may seem to mumble and those experiencing hearing loss may not hear all parts of a conversation. For instance, someone with hearing loss may miss the essence of a story or punch line of a joke that someone just told
- Frequent requests for repetition or clarification
- Tendency to need to stare at people when they are talking in order to make it easier to understand what they are saying
- Fatigue at the end of the day from straining to hear
- Avoidance of social situations because of difficulty following conversations in noisy environments
- Tendency to bluff when not hearing someone because of the fear of asking them to repeat themselves
Hearing Protection
Some forms of hearing loss can be prevented. To protect your hearing, the most important thing you can do is avoid loud noises. Reduce headphone volumes and move further away from loud noises if possible. If you must be around loud noises, always wear ear protection (such as ear plugs or headphones) that protect your hearing. To learn more visit NIH: Hearing Protectors.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the cause and severity of hearing loss. For neurosensory hearing loss hearing aids and other listening devices can help treat the problem and improve quality of life. Consider talking to your primary care provider, and audiologist, or an ear, nose, throat (ENT) specialist to get evaluated to determine what type of treatment would be best for you.
Resources
Hearing Aid Information:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/frequently-asked-hearing-aid-questions
UCSF Site on Hearing Loss:
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/conditions/hearing-loss
