1 in 7 people in the UK (9 million) suffer from hearing loss. According to the RNID, a charitable organisation working on behalf of the UK’s deaf and hard of hearing people, age-related hearing loss is the most common reason for hearing loss. Over 70 % of the UK’s over 70 age-group have some kind of hearing loss.
What Is the Cause Of Age Related Hearing Loss:
Age-related hearing loss, which is also known as presbycusis, is a type of sensori-neural hearing loss condition. Sensori-neural hearing loss is sometimes called “nerve deafness”, although the term is not entirely accurate, as it leaves out the impact that damage to the hair-cells within the inner-ear can also have. Hair cells are tiny structures within the cochlea of the inner ear and play an important role in transferring information contained within incoming sound waves the nerves responsible for hearing and the brain. Damage to these hair cells can be due to the body’s natural ageing processes and hearing loss can result.
What Are The Symptoms Of Age Related Hearing Loss:
The severity of the symptoms may vary from one person to the next. They can include difficulty in hearing the people around you within noisy environments. The background noise may seem far too loud compared to the actual speech. You may also notice
● Sounds seem less clear
● Not being able to hear the telephone of door bell ring when others can
● Other people may sound mumbled or slurred
● Inability to hear high-pitched sounds such as “s” and “th”
● Often having to ask people to repeat themselves
● Having to have the television of radio turned up much higher than other family members
● Feeling tired after participating in a conversation held within background noise
Age Related Hearing Loss Treatment:
If you suspect that you have a hearing loss, a hearing test is recommended. These quick and painless tests will measure your responses to sounds of varying tones and help ascertain the reason for the hearing loss as well as the degree of any present hearing loss. Some aspects of hearing loss are medically treatable (e.g. hearing loss due to wax blockage in the ear canal) while others can be managed with specifically designed aids such as:
● Hearing aids (which are available privately or from the NHS)
● Amplified (extra loud) devices such as telephones, TV listeners and alarms
● Lip and speech reading training
A straightforward hearing assessment will help identify any hearing impairment and a health professional will be able to recommend the correct treatment plan for you.
