You may think of hearing loss as an issue which only affects your ears, but this is absolutely not the case. Hearing loss is a communication issue, which creates rifts in relationships, compromises success at work and can increase the risk for cognitive decline and falls. The sooner you diagnose and treat this serious issue the better. So how common is hearing loss in the U.S, and how do you know when it is affecting you or someone you love.

How common is hearing loss in the U.S?

Hearing loss is one of the largest common chronic physical conditions in the United States, ranking third and is twice as prevalent as diabetes or cancer. It is estimated that it affects approximately 48 million people or 20 percent of the total population.

Age Related Hearing Loss

The most common type of hearing loss is age related, also known as presbycusis. It is estimated that one in three people in the United States between the ages of 65 and 74 has hearing loss, and nearly half of those older than 75 have difficulty hearing. This puts an older population at risk for struggling to follow their doctor’s advice, hearing phone calls, responding to warning sounds and hearing doorbells, and smoke alarms. It is believed that if you reach 100 years old, there is a 100% chance that you will have hearing loss. Even so, age does not cause hearing loss, but a lifetime of activities which damage your hearing.

Hearing Loss Across Generations

While presbycusis is the most common type of hearing loss, this condition affects people of all ages. Significant numbers of people across all generations experience some degree of hearing loss.

Born with Hearing Loss

Congenital hearing loss is hearing loss that is present at birth. Currently 2 to 3 of every 1,000 U.S. babies are born with some degree of hearing loss. Congenital hearing loss is most commonly occurred due to an anomaly of the inner ear, a virus, environmental causes, or genetic causes.

Hearing Loss and Young Adults

The World Health Organization reports that 50 percent of millennials risk hearing loss because of damaging volumes. This is most commonly due to the use of personal listening devices. 1 in 8 U.S. kids ages 6 to 19 has hearing loss from using earbuds to listen to music at unsafe volumes. 40 percent of cases of hearing loss in adolescents are caused due to attending noisy entertainment venues such as concerts, clubs and sporting events.

Causes of Hearing Loss

Acquired hearing loss is hearing loss which develops after birth. This can happen at any age. About 1 in 7 U.S. adults ages 20 to 69 has some degree of hearing loss. One of the best ways to prevent acquiring hearing loss is by knowing the dangers to your hearing, so you can take precautions before hearing loss can develop. It is an invisible but progressive condition. This means that it can start subtle and nearly undetectable but is already beginning to cause problems, such as mild cognitive decline and communication issues.

Noise Induced Hearing Loss

The second largest cause of hearing loss is caused by exposure to noise. When noise surpasses a limit of 85 decibels it can start to cause permanent hearing damage. It can take about ten years for a decibel level of 85dB to start to cause noticeable damage to one’s hearing. This is if someone is exposed to over 8 hours of 85 dB daily. As the decibel level rises, the time it takes for the same level of damage decreases. When a decibel level reaches 88dB it can take only four hours to cause the same amount of hearing damage. This is why it is so important to wear hearing protection. A set of earplugs can lower the decibel level by 15- 33dB, which can make a huge difference. Even so, 22 percent of U.S. adults are exposed to dangerous noise levels at work.

Normalizing Hearing Loss

It is believed that hearing loss is even more prevalent than vision problems and it avoids no age group. Still, the stigma of hearing loss keeps people from dealing with their condition. It is estimated that only 1 in 5 people who could benefit from hearing technology actually uses it.

Dealing with your hearing loss can become a sense of pride that you are taking control of your life and dealing with a serious health issue, so that you can live your life to the fullest! Be an example for others and schedule a hearing consultation today!