Hearing Loss In Older Adults: Causes And Treatments
Nearly half of all adults 75 and older have difficulty hearing. Age-related changes to the ear cause hearing loss, and other considerations, including lifestyle, health, and environmental factors, can also impact hearing.
Determining the cause of hearing loss can also help identify treatments and preventative measures to slow the progression and maintain the hearing you have.
Common Causes Of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is a spectrum condition. If you have hearing loss, it does not mean you’re deaf; it means your hearing has changed. A few factors can affect your hearing, such as age, environment, and lifestyle.
Age-Related Ear Changes
Age-related hearing loss, or presbycusis, refers to the changes in a person’s hearing as they age. This hearing loss is typically from physical changes to the ear that occur as you age. Some people also experience changes to the nerves that connect the ear and brain, resulting in some hearing loss.
Environmental Factors
Loud noises are one of the key environmental factors contributing to hearing loss. Loud environmental noises are more than going to a concert. Some people have loud factory jobs or live in busy metropolitan areas, which can affect hearing.
Noise isn’t the only environmental factor affecting hearing. Exposure to certain chemicals, heavy metals, and pollutants can also contribute to hearing loss.
Lifestyle Factors
Lifestyle factors are choices within your control that may negatively affect your hearing. Smoking and excessive drinking are two common lifestyle factors that lead to hearing loss. Drinking and smoking increase the risk of heart disease, which reduces blood flow to the inner ear and affects your hearing.
Exposure to loud music is another common lifestyle factor that affects hearing. Unlike environmental noise, music played at high volumes within your home, car, or headphones is something you can control. Listening at high volumes over time can damage your ears.
Treating Hearing Loss
Hearing loss treatment varies depending on the severity of the hearing loss. The two most common approaches to hearing loss are hearing aids and cochlear implants.
- Hearing aids: Hearing aids are worn in or behind the ear to assist with hearing. Many types of hearing aids are designed to help people with hearing loss at all levels of the spectrum. Most hearing aids help amplify the sound around, but some can help deaden background noise.
- Cochlear implants: A cochlear implant is a small device with two parts; one surgical implant is placed in the ear, and the other is worn outside the ear. Cochlear implants are for people who are deaf or have severe hearing loss.
How Visiting Angels Can Help
Hearing loss can create obstacles in life and make it challenging to care for yourself. At Visiting Angels, we’re dedicated to helping local seniors maintain their independence as they age, regardless of their medical or health needs.
Our locally owned and operated home care agency provides at-home care assistance, helping with tasks around the home like light housekeeping, medication reminders, personal grooming, mobility assistance, and meal preparation.
Contact our Southwest Colorado office to schedule a complimentary consultation and learn more about how our at-home care services can benefit you.