Have you noticed that you aren’t able to hear as well as you used to? Most likely, you are experiencing age-related hearing loss which happens to many people as they age. The first sign might be that you are having trouble hearing the high frequency sounds which include most consonants. You will hear the vowel sounds, and by lip reading, context or just plain guessing, you will try to carry on a conversation with someone which can be very stressful! It might be difficult for you to understand people when you are in a noisy environment such as a restaurant. Do these things happen to you or someone you love? Click here to read a great article on age-related hearing loss.
Prevalence of Age-Related Hearing Loss
Age-related hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting seniors and older adults. It typically arises from changes in the inner ear when the tiny hair cells that transmit the sounds to your aural nerve diminish or die. It can develop slowly over time, so you might not even realize your hearing is not as good as it once was. For more on this subject, click here.
Treatment of Age-Related Hearing Loss
Although, there is no medical cure for age-related hearing loss, it can be treated with digital hearing aids, or in cases of profound hearing loss, cochlear implants. The aids will not restore our “normal” hearing, but will certainly improve our ability to hear intelligently using and strengthening the hearing we still have. If you think you have developed a hearing loss, you should talk to your doctor about having your hearing checked.
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I urge you to talk with your doctor if you suspect you might have age-related hearing loss. You don’t need to miss conversations, grandchildren’s voices or birdsong. It’s a beautiful world, so enjoy it to the fullest!
