Do People Lose Hearing As They Age?

By Author: Srija D
Total Articles: 4
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From closely observing our parents and grandparents, many of us can come to the conclusion that the tendency and probability of hearing loss progresses with one’s age. While it comes as a harsh truth, understanding the reasons behind it and how to counter the effects, is an important first step towards better hearing—and a better quality of life. Herein lies the significance of hearing aids, which can contribute immensely to countering the hearing problems that seem to accompany old age.
How does age affect hearing?

The medical term for age-related hearing loss is presbycusis. As we age, the tiny hair cells in our inner ears—which are responsible for producing sound—gradually stop working for some of us. These tiny hair cells are responsible for triggering pulses in the auditory nerve, which delivers sound signals to the brain. These sensory receptors play a key role in detecting the sound and also affect balance control in individuals.

Other factors that may damage our hearing capacity as we age include the following:

Genetics
Prolonged exposure to loud noises and noisy environment
Certain medications
Auditory and medical conditions that affect blood flow in the ear
Ageing affects our outer ear too in certain ways. As we get older our outer ear also continues to grow. This growth does not cause any major inconvenience to your hearing as long as you are wearing hearing aids. Over time, the hearing aids may become loose enough causing some problems with the fitting. This may lead to the occurrence of whistling known as feedback. If the feedback becomes bothersome, it is time to consult a hearing healthcare professional for adjustments. Some of us may also notice more earwax building up in our ear canals as we age. However, this is a problem that has a solution. This can be resolved by a quick cleaning of the ear canals by your primary care physician or hearing care professional.

What age does hearing loss begin?

Every human organ wears and tears with the passage of time and similarly, our ears are also affected by the process of aging. As a result, our hearing ability degrades over time and by the time one reaches 60, sooner or later further hearing problems arise in the individual. It happens so gradually, most of us don’t notice the loss until it starts to cause trouble in our ability to easily understand conversations with family and friends. Fortunately, hearing aids can significantly improve your situation if you are tormented by age-related hearing problems.

Some people unnecessarily worry about the stigma associated with hearing aids and the image it creates in front of others. However, that is a very poor excuse for not seeking the professional and medical help that one can easily benefit from.

Instead, here are two ways to fight that stigma: Lower the volume and get fitted with the right hearing aids. Call at +91 9533155155 to book a free assessment of your troubled hearing today and get the best of audiological treatment at Hearing Solutions.