Causes of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is often age-related, which is known as presbycusis. As we age, the hair cells in the inner ear responsible for hearing begin to deteriorate naturally. There are other causes that can lead to hearing loss, including:
- Certain medications
- Head injury
- Prolonged noise exposure
- Genetics
- Acoustic trauma
- Tumor
- Health conditions (i.e., heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure)
Hearing Loss and Health
Hearing is an important function of communication, brain health, and balance. You need your hearing to be aware of the world around you. Your brain also relies on your hearing to receive stimulation and to make sense of sounds. When left untreated, hearing loss can cause a negative impact on your cognitive health. When you can’t hear well due to hearing loss, your brain has to work harder to hear. This can result in listening fatigue, forgetfulness, and cognitive decline.
Hearing health is a key part of whole health. To take care of your hearing ability and brain health it’s important to wear hearing aids at the first signs of hearing loss. Hearing aids will provide your brain with the sounds it needs to stay active and healthy.
Signs of Hearing Loss
Often times it is difficult to recognize the signs of hearing loss right away because it occurs gradually. If you have noticed any of the following, you should schedule a hearing evaluation.
- Sounds seem muffled
- You frequently ask people to repeat themselves
- It seems like people mumble
- You can hear but you lack clarity
- Phone conversations are difficult to understand
- You have a hard time following the conversation when there is more than one speaker
- You hear a ringing in your ears (tinnitus)
Preventing Hearing Loss
While age related hearing loss is not preventable, other types and causes can be avoided. Noise induced hearing loss is one of the most preventable types of losses. It’s important to wear hearing protection, such as earplugs, whenever you are exposed to sounds over 85 decibels. Protecting your ears will ensure you preserve your hearing ability now and for the future.
Some other key ways you can be proactive about your hearing health include:
- Limit your exposure to loud noise
- Wear hearing protection
- Keep the volume low
- Don’t use cotton swabs to clean your ears
- Avoid medications that can affect hearing
- Take care of your overall health