Introduction
Progressive hearing loss is a common yet often overlooked health concern that can significantly impact an individual's quality of life. In this article, we will delve into the breve introduction of progressive hearing loss, examine why older people tend to experience deteriorating hearing, emphasize the importance of hearing protection, and provide practical strategies for preventing future hearing loss.
What is Progressive Hearing Loss?
Progressive hearing loss refers to a gradual decline in auditory function that worsens over time. It encompasses various types of hearing loss, including presbycusis (age-related hearing loss), noise-induced hearing loss, and ototoxicity-related hearing loss. Untreated progressive hearing loss can lead to communication difficulties, social isolation, and diminished overall well-being.
With sensorineural hearing loss, your inner ear, auditory nerve, or both are damaged, usually permanently. Age-related hearing loss is a common form of progressive hearing loss that occurs as individuals age. It is often characterized by a gradual decline in hearing sensitivity, particularly in high-frequency sounds. Moreover, exposure to loud noise over time can cause irreversible damage to the delicate structures of the inner ear, leading to progressive hearing loss. The more loud noises you hear, the more damage, so this kind of loss builds up over time. Continued exposure to loud noises without protection exacerbates this condition. In addition, certain medications, chemicals, or toxins can damage the auditory system, resulting in hearing loss that may worsen over time if exposure continues.
Why Do Older People Tend to Have Worse Hearing?
The main reasons are aging and noise exposure, which usually affects both ears equally. Because it comes on gradually, getting worse over time, your family and friends may notice it sooner than you do.
Presbycusis tends to run in families. Changes in the inner ear, including decreased blood flow and cell regeneration, can affect hearing function. In addition, problems more common in older people—diabetes, high blood pressure, a heart condition or stroke—may affect hearing. Medications can damage the inner ear, sometimes permanently. They may be needed to treat diseases more common in older people, including cancer and heart disease. Genetic factors may influence an individual's susceptibility to age-related hearing loss. Some forms of inherited hearing loss can show up in middle age. One example is otosclerosis, when bones grow abnormally within the middle ear.
Finally, noise-induced damage, as noted earlier, builds up over time. Cumulative exposure to noise, smoking, and overall health status can impact hearing health as individuals age. If you're blasting the television to compensate for your hearing loss, you’re endangering the hearing of everyone nearby and possibly your own. The same goes for your power saw and lawn mower. If you must use loud equipment, prevent hearing loss by wearing protective headphones or earmuffs that safely amplify the sounds you need to hear while minimizing noise.
Importance of Hearing Protection
Hearing is a precious sense that allows us to connect with the world around us, communicate with others, and enjoy the richness of life's sounds. However, loud sounds can damage sensitive structures in your inner ear, causing noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing, roaring, or buzzing in the ears). The louder the sound, the faster it can damage your hearing. Hearing damage can happen instantly. The sound of a gunshot at close range, for example, can cause immediate and permanent damage.
How to Prevent Future Hearing Loss
While not all types of hearing loss are preventable, there are steps you can take to lower your risk of developing age-related hearing loss and/or noise-induced hearing loss. Here are other healthy habits that will also help you preserve your hearing as you get older.
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Get a Hearing Test and Listening Devices
Preventing hearing loss means being proactive in your approach to hearing health. If you wouldn't hesitate to have your eyes or teeth checked, it is time to add regular hearing exams to your list of check-ups. If your test indicates you already have some hearing loss, you can begin taking action to prevent it from getting worse. If you need online hearing test, or if you suspect you may already have some hearing loss, visit our extensive directory to find a dedicated hearing healthcare professional near you.
If you need hearing aids, your hearing professional can discuss the best options for your hearing loss, lifestyle and budget. To keep your auditory nerve stimulated, you will need to wear your hearing aids regularly, even when you're home alone. Happily, it usually can respond to that stimulation. Your hearing may still worsen over time, but regular check-ups with your hearing specialist will ensure your hearing aids are programmed correctly.
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Manage Underlying Health Conditions
While knowing your family history won't directly prevent hearing loss, it will help you know if you're at elevated risk. Catching it early can reduce your risk of the negative impacts of hearing loss, such as cognitive decline, depression and social isolation. High blood pressure and heart disease can damage the fragile mechanisms inside your ear that help you hear. If you have high cholesterol or blood pressure, follow your doctor's treatment orders to get it under control. Research has shown that people with diabetes are twice as likely to have hearing loss. Just as with high blood pressure, diabetes can damage the cells in your inner ears. Keep your blood sugar under control and follow your doctor's orders for managing diabetes.
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Keep a Healthy Diet
Studies definitively show that cigarette smoke whether directly, secondhand, or even in utero—can have a big impact on a person's hearing health. Likewise with heavy alcohol use, which can create a toxic environment in the ear. Vaping and hearing loss isn't as well-studied, but there are anecdotal reports linking it to sudden hearing loss. Several vitamins and minerals, especially B12, potassium and magnesium are vital to good hearing. Iron-deficiency anemia is linked to losing your hearing, so try to eat a diet rich in iron.
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Exercise and Practice Stress Reduction
Exercise improves blood flow and helps your body—and your ear health—in countless ways. (Just be careful about lour music and incorrect weightlifting at the gym; both are linked to hearing damage.) And because chronic high levels of stress aren't good for your hearing (or the rest of you), do what you can to keep stress levels under control.
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Use Earmuffs and Earplugs
Plan to use hearing protection like earmuffs and earplugs anytime you'll be immersed in loud sounds. Not only do you reduce your risk of hearing loss, you may also stave off tinnitus, or ringing in the ears. If you work in a noisy place—for example, at a hair salon with blow dryers constantly in use and music blaring in the background—find out if your employer offers noise protection, or bring your own. Your earsbuds and hearphones, especially if you don't take the right precautions when you listen to music. It causes hearing damage you might not even realize.
Conclusion
By understanding the complexities of progressive hearing loss, recognizing the types of hearing loss that worsen over time, prioritizing hearing protection, and adopting preventative measures and listening devices, individuals can take proactive steps to safeguard their auditory health and preserve their precious sense of hearing for years to come. Remember, hearing health is an integral part of overall well-being, and by making informed choices, you can protect your sound and enhance your quality of life.
