Articles
Common Signs and Symptoms of Hearing Loss
One of the most common health conditions in the country today is hearing loss, which affects more than 34 million Americans, many younger than retirement age.
Hearing loss can strike any time, for many reasons. If left untreated, it affects virtually every aspect of a person’s life. Numerous respected studies have linked untreated hearing loss to cognitive, balance and emotional problems including short- and long-term memory loss, depression, fatigue, loneliness, reduced alertness, higher risk of falls and inability to learn new tasks.
One of the most common health conditions in the country today is hearing loss, which affects more than 34 million Americans, many younger than retirement age.
Hearing loss can strike any time, for many reasons. If left untreated, it affects virtually every aspect of a person’s life. Numerous respected studies have linked untreated hearing loss to cognitive, balance and emotional problems including short- and long-term memory loss, depression, fatigue, loneliness, reduced alertness, higher risk of falls and inability to learn new tasks.
Even though three in 10 people over the age of 60 have hearing loss, many are slow to seek help. Those who wait years or even decades before being treated become increasingly disconnected from other people.
Common signs and symptoms of hearing loss:
Socially, individuals with hearing loss may:
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Frequently ask others to repeat themselves
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Experience difficulty following conversations
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Have difficulty hearing in noisy situations
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Turn TVs and radios up to high volumes
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Respond inappropriately in conversations
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Experience ringing (tinnitus) in their ears
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Read lips
Emotionally, individuals with hearing loss may:
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Feel annoyed with others when they can't hear or understand them
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Feel embarrassed meeting new people
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Withdraw from social situations
Medically, individuals with hearing loss may:
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Have a family history of hearing loss
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Be taking medications that can harm their hearing
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Have diabetes, heart, circulation or thyroid problems
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May experience balance problems and have higher risk of falls
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Have been exposed to loud sounds over a long period of time or a single exposure to explosive noise
Facts about hearing loss:
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Approximately one in 10 Americans has some degree of hearing loss.
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Only 15 percent of physicians ask their patients if they have hearing problems.
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Untreated mild to moderate hearing loss may be associated with short-term and long-term memory loss, according to Brandeis and John’s Hopkins University research study.
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Research has shown people with mild to moderate hearing loss have 3-4 times more chance of falling.
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Nine out of 10 hearing aid users who have been treated by an audiologist report improvements in their quality of life, according to a survey of more than 2,300 consumers by the Better Hearing Institute.
Seeking help:
Technological advances in hearing aids can now help between 90 and 95 percent of people with hearing loss. Hearing aids are now smaller and have much better sound quality than in years past. However, be sure you are seeking help from an audiologist. Not every person who sells hearing aids is an audiologist and the majority of them are hearing aid sales people with no academic training in audiology. Seek help early on to counter the emotional, cognitive and physical effects of hearing loss described above.
by Mimi T. Salamat, Ph.D., CCC-A, FAAA
Clinical Audiologist and Tinnitus Specialist
Walnut Creek, CA