People may not realize relieving hearing loss could be a preventative step to ward off dementia.
Hearing loss is a common problem faced by older adults but is often left untreated.
“At least one in four adults over the age of 50 experience hearing problems, but it’s shocking that it takes an average of 10 years before people seek treatment. Even then, less than 20 per cent of them will use hearing aids in their day-to-day lives.”
When people notice their vision is blurry, they visit an optometrist to avoid becoming blind. But when their hearing starts to worsen, a visit to an audiologist isn’t high on their list of priorities when it should be.
At a very young age, many of us are trained to take care of our health and hygiene. From washing our hands before we touch food to brushing our teeth at least a couple of times a day – it all revolves around prevention.
We are taught to understand that if you don’t take care of yourself, you might experience negative symptoms like a cavity in your teeth, a congested nose or blurriness in the eyes. Every day we read an article or hear about a deadly virus in the news, but many people are not aware of things that affect our health in a negative way until it is too late.
Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is an example of a negative symptom many people today. Especially since we are impacted by the digital economy we live in; we are prone to noise from the time our alarm clocks go off. Hearing problems often start slowly over time. and lead to total deafness.
There are many causes of Hearing loss can be divided into two main categories:
Conductive hearing loss (CHL) & Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL)
Conductive hearing loss (CHL) occurs because of a mechanical problem in the outer or middle ear. The three tiny bones of the ear (ossicles) may not conduct sound properly. Or, the eardrum may not vibrate in response to sound. Fluid in the middle ear can cause this type of hearing loss.
Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is due to a problem with the inner ear. It most often occurs when the tiny hair cells (nerve endings) that move sound through the ear are injured, diseased, do not work correctly, or have died. Learn more about Hearing Protection.
It has also been determined that untreated, hearing loss can lead to depression, dissatisfaction with life, reduced functional and cognitive health, and withdrawal from social activities. What you need to know about hearing loss is that it is irreversible.
Take the hearing loss quiz! Answer yes or no to the following:
I often miss parts of conversations and continually ask people to repeat themselves.
I find that the high and low tones of many sounds have disappeared. For example, I find it difficult to hear birds singing.
My family or friends complain that I listen to the TV at too loud a volume.
I have to turn up the volume on the telephone/cellphone to hear properly.
I have difficulty distinguishing speech from background noises. For example, I often have difficulty following dinnertime conversation, while others are talking and music is playing.
I find myself straining to read lips and facial expressions just to understand what someone is saying to me.
If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, then you need to have your hearing checked by a qualified audiologist. For a list of audiologists in your area, refer to your phone book or contact the Canadian Academy of Audiology or in the United States click here. In many cases, testing your hearing is a free service audiologist often offer.
Remember hearing loss prevention is one of the many things you can avoid if you know what to avoid and what to look for. So listen up and be aware of sounds and noises that can cause damage over time to your hearing.
Well, it is that time of year again, October is National Protect Your Hearing Month.
As a leader in the custom hearing protection industry we, Custom Protect Ear, take this month very seriously as issues such as Noise-induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) greatly affects the industrial workforce. However, it does not stop there, people of all ages can develop noise-induced hearing loss. Hearing loss from too much noise exposure can happen in an instant or build over time, and it can’t be fixed.
Custom Protect Ear along with other affiliates encourage everyone to learn about noise-induced hearing loss and a preventable type of hearing loss
A recent Study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with support from the NIDCD, shows that based on certain features of their hearing test results, at least 10 million adults in the U.S. (6 percent of the population) under age 70—and perhaps as many as 40 million adults (24 percent)—may have hearing loss from noise in one or both ears.
The good news is that you can take steps to protect your hearing:
Move away from the noise. If you can’t lower the volume, put some distance between you and the source.
Lower the volume. Know which noises can cause damage (those at or above 85 decibels), such as listening through headphones at a high volume.
Wear hearing protectors, such as earplugs or earmuffs, when involved in a loud activity. Activity-specific earplugs and earmuffs are available at hardware and sporting goods stores.
Protect the ears of children who are too young to protect their own.
Tell family, friends, and colleagues about noise hazards.
Spread the word this October on how to prevent noise-induced hearing loss! Resources you can use to educate yourself with Hearing Loss Prevention PDF.
