As you go through life, each stage has its markers, like getting your driver’s license at 16 or retiring at 65. One of the changes that many people over 75 can expect is hearing loss. Let’s look at why your risk of hearing loss increases as you get older and how hearing aids can help.
Why Hearing Can Decline Over the Years
Age-related hearing loss, also known as presbycusis, is a common health condition that affects older adults and is often easy to overlook or ignore at first.
Hearing depends on a complex system involving the ear and the brain. As we age, that system ages with us. Tiny sensory cells inside the inner ear can become damaged over time, making it harder for the brain to process sound clearly. Aging alone isn’t the only factor.
Hearing loss can also be influenced by:
- A lifetime of exposure to everyday noise, such as traffic, music or machinery
- Conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes
- Certain prescription medications that impact hearing sensitivity
- Structural changes within the ear over time
- Severe infections
Because these changes happen slowly, many people don’t realize their hearing has changed until loved ones point it out or communication becomes frustrating. Keep an eye out for the following signs of hearing loss:
- Turning up the TV more than usual
- Feeling like others are mumbling
- Trouble understanding speech in noisy environments
- Difficulty understanding children
- Pulling away from social events
- Asking people to repeat themselves more frequently
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
When hearing loss starts impacting your life, hearing aids can help.
How Hearing Aids Help
Hearing aids have microphones that collect sound from your environment, including speech sounds or safety information like cyclists passing by in Hulen Park, and amplify it to match your hearing needs. With all the added speech clarity and background awareness they offer, your new devices can significantly reduce the strain of hearing loss.
If you’ve noticed changes in your hearing or want to learn more about your hearing loss treatment options, contact Benke Ear Nose & Throat Clinic to schedule a consultation and take the next step toward better hearing health.