What is the average age of hearing loss

More and more individuals are taking steps to protect their hearing when exposed to loud noise. And although never a "normal" condition, hearing loss can be successfully treated so that you can remain connected and engaged even as you age. Do You Have Hearing Loss?

Sometimes people also experience changes in the middle ear that causes hearing loss as well. A lot of different factors contribute to age-related hearing loss.

It can be challenging to determine whether you have hearing loss that is related to your age or something else, for example, being exposed to noise over a long period of time. Hearing loss that is induced by noise is caused because of exposure to an extra loud sound, such as an explosion or long-term exposure to sounds that either last for too long or are too loud.

This form of noise exposure can result in the sensory hair cells in your ears becoming damaged. These cells enable you to hear, so they are very important. Once they have become damaged, your ability to hear is diminished because they cannot grow back. Conditions that are more common in elderly people, for example, diabetes or high blood pressure, can result in hearing loss.

There are some medications that can cause hearing loss as well. Chemotherapy drugs fall into this category. On a rare occasion, you may experience hearing loss that is are-related because of abnormalities in your middle or outer ear.

The symptoms of age-related hearing loss may look like other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your health care provider for a diagnosis. Your health care provider will use an otoscope, which is a lighted scope, to check in the outer ear canal and to look at the ear drum. He or she will look for damage to the ear drum, blockage of the ear canal from foreign objects or impacted ear wax, inflammation or infection. You may be referred to a hearing specialist, audiologist, to have an audiogram.

An audiogram is a test in which sounds are played through headphones, to one ear at a time. You are asked to respond if you are able to hear each sound. If your hearing loss is significant enough, you may need some type of hearing aid or other aids to communicate with others.

If you have hearing loss, your health care professional can refer you to specialists in hearing loss, such as an:. This is a doctor who specializes in diseases and conditions of the ears, nose, and throat. Noise-induced hearing loss One of the most common ways people damage their hearing is through excessive noise exposure, leading to noise-induced hearing loss NIHL.

More than 1 in 2 US adults with hearing damage from noise do not have noisy jobs, meaning the exposure is likely recreational. About 1 in 4 US adults who report excellent to good hearing already have hearing damage.

Stats on hearing loss in children Approximately 3 of every 1, children in the United States are born with a detectable hearing loss in one or both ears. Most children in the U. An estimated Hearing loss among veterans On-the-job exposure is particularly common among U. Half of all blast injuries experienced by veterans resulted in permanent hearing loss.

Hearing aid and hearing care statistics How many people wear hearing aids? In , market data showed that about one-third of people with hearing loss wear hearing aids, a number that increases every year. Related health conditions Ear Infections : Five out of six children experience an ear infection by the time they are three years old.

Depression : People with untreated hearing loss are twice as likely to be depressed than those who have normal hearing or those who wear hearing devices. Hypertension and heart disease : Studies suggest those with heart disease have a greater incidence of hearing loss than those without. Diabetes : Hearing loss is twice as common in people who have diabetes than in those without. Additional information The good news?