Aging is a natural process. As people get older, their bodies start to change. An example of something that can change as a person gets older is their hearing. Many older people experience hearing loss and younger people can also experience it.
If you think that you may have hearing loss, there is no need to be ashamed, but you should seek help from an audiologist, as audiologists are experts in this topic and other topics that have to do with your ears.
Being informed is important in both the prevention of hearing loss and in knowing the symptoms of hearing loss, so you can be prepared if it happens to you.
Statistics On Hearing Loss
Experiencing hearing loss, especially as you get older, is not uncommon. According to WebMD, “hearing loss is the third most common health problem in the U.S.” With hearing loss being so common, especially with older people, do you know the symptoms associated with it?
What Causes Hearing Loss?
Some of the causes of hearing loss are things that you can avoid, or that you can try to take steps to prevent, however, not all of the causes of hearing loss can be avoided.
One cause of hearing loss is if you are frequently exposed to loud sounds. If you regularly listen to your music too loudly, you can cause damage to your ears. Other reasons why you may be exposed to loud noises could be less out of your control, if you work at a job that has many loud noises. If you want to prevent hearing loss, then stop exposing yourself to noises that are too loud. If your situation is more like the job, then wearing protective equipment, like earplugs can help in preventing hearing loss from happening to you.
Another cause of hearing loss is growing older. Growing older is not something that people can stop, so there is no way to prevent hearing loss if it comes about due to your age. Of course, throughout your life, you can try and make sure you always take good care of your ears, so that you don’t experience hearing loss for other reasons, but even if you take good care of your ears, you can still experience hearing loss due to old age.
There are multiple other causes of hearing loss, so make sure you are aware of what they are, and if they are things that can be avoided or that you can do something to prevent, then make sure you take precautions.
Symptoms Of Hearing Loss
Here are some of the symptoms that are associated with hearing loss. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, then you should get your ears checked by an audiologist. The first symptom is if things like speech and other sounds seem to be muffled. Another sign is if you notice tinnitus which means you hear ringing in your ears. Thirdly, if you notice that you are having difficulty understanding words. Fourthly, the need to turn things like your television up to a louder volume. Fifthly, if a person starts to withdraw from social settings or is frequently a lot quieter than usual during conversations, this is another possible sign that they could be experiencing hearing loss. These are not all of the symptoms that are associated with having hearing loss, but this list includes some of the things that you can look out for.
Getting Help
If you believe that you or someone you know is experiencing hearing loss, then seeking help is a step that you are going to want to take. The potential cause of your hearing loss will impact the course of action that you should take. If you have sudden hearing loss, then you should seek immediate medical help. If your hearing loss has been gradual and you are of an older age, then you are going to want to visit your audiologist as they can help you figure out the problem and potential solutions, such as getting hearing aids.
If you are looking to get help with your hearing, we at Kampsen Hearing can help. You can visit our website for more information, or you can call us at (813) 369-5692. Remember taking good care of your ears can help prevent hearing loss in some cases, so trying your best to do this can be vital for your ear health. However, in some cases, hearing loss is inevitable, so you don’t have to be ashamed of hearing loss if it is something that you are experiencing.