Post: 3 Things To Know About Age-Related Hearing Loss

3 Things To Know About Age-Related Hearing Loss

According to data, people aged 65 and 74 are likely to experience some degree of hearing loss at some point in their lives. The reason is due to the natural deterioration of body organs. Some people can evade it, but others experience auditory loss, leading to reduced cognitive processes. It is necessary to learn more about good hearing health to prepare you for the future. Here are some things you may want to know about age-related hearing loss.

Age-related hearing loss targets high-frequency sounds

Human speech becomes harder to hear or decipher for persons in this age group. This is because consonant sounds which are usually pronounced at a higher frequency. Apart from consonant sounds, high-pitched voices of children and females tend to sound distorted in a person experiencing age-related hearing loss. There may be the temptation to speak louder to such a person, but experts say the only result is a further distortion of higher frequency sounds.

As an alternative, it would be better to write down short notes to a person experiencing age-related hearing loss. Again, if you have a fair knowledge of American Sign Language and the other person can interpret it, that would also be good. Last but not least, in the absence of these two, you can always rely on speaking slowly and properly enunciating your words.

Not every age-related hearing loss needs hearing aids

Although it is assumed that a person with hearing loss can improve their quality of life by getting hearing aids fitted, it may not be the same in every case. An older person may not be too comfortable in the first few weeks or months of their initial fitting. The adaptation period may be too much for someone who feels pressured with the aids. Another reason the hearing aids may not be an answer for an older person is the issue of long-standing loss. For example, hearing aids may not do too much to help when there is severe deterioration of the auditory cortex.

Also, enduring years of hearing loss with routine checks can impact the part of the brain responsible for message interpretation. When that happens, hearing aids cannot act as mechanical conduits to pick up sound signals from the environment to the brain. The first course of action may be to work on inner ear amplification and perhaps surgery for a person like this. After these procedures or corrections are carried out, the audiologist can proceed with the next course of action.

Putting off hearing tests in old age can cause irreversible damage

It is already a fact that age-related hearing loss is common among seniors. This makes it all the more important for persons in this age group to get their hearing checked at least once a year. If left untreated, it can lead to severe hearing loss. After a long time, experts say the brain’s auditory cortex loses its natural ability to process sounds, leading to permanent hearing loss.

To conclude, it is worthwhile to take proactive steps to ensure your hearing is at optimum levels in your old age. If a problem is detected, you have a better chance of nipping it in the bud.