Celebrate World Hearing Day: Ear and Hearing Care for All!

Nobody wants to hear the news that they have lifelong hearing loss. However, it’s important to understand that it’s not going anywhere. In fact, the longer you ignore it the worse it will become.

On March 3rd is World Hearing Day, an international campaign led by the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote the importance of protecting your hearing, testing and treatment. WHO projects that 466 million people suffer from hearing loss worldwide and this number is projected to nearly double by 2050 if perceptions and governmental support doesn’t change on an systematic level? This includes more education around hearing loss and the accessibility of assistive technology for those with hearing loss. This March 3rd, let’s focus on what you can do to prevent, test and treat hearing loss in your life.

The Dangers of Untreated Hearing Loss

Many people are surprised to find that 90 percent of hearing loss is irreversible. Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when damage occurs to the cells of the inner ear which transfer sound to the brain. The degree of health risks often seems directly connected to the severity of symptoms. Unaddressed, hearing loss can cause rifts in relationships, social isolation, chronic depression, decreased mobility, a likelihood to suffer falls and accidents and a rapidly increasing risk of developing dementia. The sooner you address a hearings loss the better your chances of being able to find effective treatment methods. In fact, even a slight hearing loss, has been found to cause people to score lower on cognitive testing.

Preventing Hearing Loss

Sensorineural hearing loss can occur from a wide range of manners which damage the cells of the inner ear. The most common cause by far is presbycusis, also known as age related hearing loss. While one in three people have presbycusis over the age of 65 and this number rises to one in two for those 75 years and older, hearing loss is not a part of natural aging. Lifestyle choices throughout your life can minimize the risk of hearing loss later on. For instance, anything you can do to support your heart such as regular exercise and a vegetable rich diet paired with lean proteins can help support cell health throughout your body, including the essential cells of the inner ear. 

Noise induced hearing loss affects people of all ages in workplaces, at loud entertainment venues, during loud hobbies or even using headphones. In fact, WHO projects that 1.1 billion people globally between the ages of 12-35 have hearing loss due to exposure to noise during loud recreational activities. Knowing the level of sound in the places and activities you do regularly and protecting yourself using hearing protection regularly can make a big difference in maintaining your hearing through life. As a reference guide, if you are three feet away from someone and feel like you must shout to hear, then it’s too loud.

Other common causes of hearing loss include:

• Certain medications 
• Certain environmental toxins
• Impact to the head
• Chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease which affect the integrity of the cells within the ear.

The Importance of Annual Hearing Tests

One of the largest hurdles with convincing people to address hearing loss is that they may not even know they have it. Hearing loss often develops slowly over time, allowing your brain to rationalize subtle losses. Many people don’t realize they have a hearing issue until they struggle to hear even in the most ideal of listening situations. In many instances people put off admitting they have an issue for years, despite the clear signs because of denial or worry that treating the issue will make them appear old.

Knowing the Signs of Hearing Loss

In a study conducted in the United Kingdom researchers found that only 20% of those who have a hearing problem seek treatment. Meanwhile a separate study in South Africa reported that individuals who experience hearing difficulties wait between 5 and 16 years to seek diagnosis and treatment. The sooner you admit and address the issue the better. Look for common signs of hearing loss:

• You often ask people to repeat themselves.
• You struggle with ringing in your ears (tinnitus) 
• It seems people are mumbling
• You have to turn up the TV or telephone all the way up and still you struggle to hear.
• You struggle to hear in a crowd.

Schedule a Hearing Exam 

This March 3rd take a step to join the fight against world hearing loss by scheduling a hearings exam. A change in the world has to happen one person at a time. Contact us today!