Common Hearing Loss Misconceptions

The ear is an extraordinary human organ that many people take for granted until it doesn’t function. It is the only device that allows the human to hear sounds in their environment. The ear is made up of many parts that distinguish various sounds through different means. The ear anatomy and physiology along with how sound waves are transmitted into meaningful sounds will help one understand how hearing loss occurs.

2. Hearing loss is one of the most common problems in older adults. Seniors with hearing loss can have difficulties communicating with family members, doctors, alarms and warning bells.

The sound of your parents voice, hearing your favorite song playing on the radio, even knowing the sound of your own voice, these are just a few sounds that sadly many of us take for granted, and unfortunately many will never get to experience. Hearing loss affects about 10% of the Global population, with 124.2 million people affected from a moderate level to a severe disability. (WHO 2008)

Hearing loss is one of the most common ailments faced by American seniors. In fact, nearly 36 million seniors have at least some hearing loss, with the majority of those individuals being more than 65 years of age. On the surface, the consequences of hearing loss may seem to be about the loss of a physical sense. In reality, the actual loss of hearing is the least of a senior's concerns.

Getting older means losing a lot of things. (e.g., one’s hair, eye sight, or hearing). Hearing loss can effect a person’s life as a whole. Polku, Mikkola, Rantakokko, Portegijs, Törmäkangas, Rantanen, & Viljanen (2016) believes that when a person has hearing loss it affects their mobility in the world. They did a study questioning whether older adults with hearing impairment lose their ability to be mobile while they are out in the world. This is an interesting question because it is strange to think that having a minor deficiency such as hear loss can affect your ability to do regular things (Polku, Mikkola, Rantakokko, Portegijs, Törmäkangas, Rantanen, & Viljanen, 2016).

The National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorder calculates that about 2 percent of older adults have disabling hearing loss. The NIDC uses the decible of hearing loss at 35 decibels or more in the better ear which is the level at which adults could generally benefit from hearing aids. The medical term for old age related hearing loss with no other causes is Presbycusis. As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) the term elderly or aged refers to persons aged 60 years or above. These statistic are ever changing and will continue to increase as people are living longer and will continue to live longer. As a person ages its normal to lose some of the perceptiveness of hearing. Presbycusis doesn’t remove hearing completely however this small deficiency can get worse over time. Most people with presbycusis just lose the ability to hear at a higher tone. This makes it harder to understand others speech. In order to understand how this affects people we must first understand how sound travels through the ear into the brain.

Age is the most common factor in increasing hearing loss. About 30 percent of people between 65 and 74 experience some difficulty in hearing. That percentage and the severity of the loss increase with age.

First I will explain how hearing loss works, So it may be no surprise that loud sounds can damage hearing, but what actually happens is that the pain is caused by damage to the nerves in your ear. For example, if you hear something really loud close to your ear the nerves get hit by a huge wave of sound that can damage your hearing. Furthermore, there is the question

Cindy Beyer, Au.D. and HearUSA V.P. of Professional Services, said, “Studies have shown that, left untreated, even mild hearing loss can lead to avoidance of social situations, reduced alertness and increased risk to personal safety, diminished overall health, and reduced job performance and earning power. Untreated hearing loss can also jeopardize family and intimate relationships.”

We all take the power of hearing for granted.Some people are blessed to be able to hear and some are unfortunately not able to hear. Wouldn’t you miss conversations between you and other people, sales at the mall, or hearing that one album that you love. We have to take care of ourselves so we can keep our hearing ability or we will never be able to hear again.

“More than 28 million Americans are deaf or hearing impaired. This statistic may reach 40 million by the year 2020” (“Cochlear Implant Surgery”, n.d.). Individuals who are deaf face many challenges and worry about living their lives and coping with their disabilities, whether they were born without their hearing or whether it was developed later in life. The medical field is constantly changing, and accommodations for people who have hearing problems are advancing every day. As a result of this fast-growing medical field, some people who have never been able to experience sound now can. Also, hearing loss can be corrected for people who may develop this disability later on in life. Some are born with hearing deficiencies where, due to the

Numerous therapeutic conditions, for example, those recorded beneath, can influence your listening to wellbeing. Treatment of these and other listening to misfortunes can frequently prompt enhanced or reestablished hearing. In the event that left undiscovered and untreated, a few conditions can prompt irreversible listening to disability or deafness. On the off chance that you think that you or your adored one has an issue with their listening ability, guarantee ideal listening to medicinal services by looking for a restorative finding from a doctor.

The most common form of hearing rehabilitation is hearing aids. The issue arises when the oldest old adults do not have access to hearing aids, which could be due to financial issues or because they are unable to go to an audiologist’s clinic or office.

I never thought about losing my hearing at a young age, it just happened suddenly. Having hearing lost is a struggle at times, but it challenges me to become better than I used to be. I’m not one of those people that complain because a problem occurred I keep everything to myself most of my senior class doesn’t know that I have hearing loss.

Seniors who have hearing issues should have them addressed right away. Older individuals who experience hearing loss are at an increased risk for depression and social isolation. Seniors who have trouble hearing often feel embarrassed since they cannot follow a conversation or understand what is being said. Further, they don't find enjoyment in the music, movies, or gatherings they used to.