A lot of people think that hearing loss is something that you are either born with, or develops as you age. While both are true, the reality is that there are many other things that can be behind hearing loss. In this article, we’ll try to discuss everything you need to know about hearing loss.
Everything You Need to Know about Hearing Loss: The Statistics
1. Around 20% of people in this country, which is around 48 million individuals, have a degree of hearing loss.
2. One in three people over the age of 65 have hearing loss.
3. 60% of people with hearing loss are either students or employed.
4. In those who are employed, those who have mild hearing loss experience little to no decrease in income. Unfortunately, the more severe the hearing loss, the lower will be the income.
5. Between two and three out of 1,000 babies in the U.S. are born with a hearing loss that can be detected in one or two ears.
6. 15% of children aged between six and 19 have some form of hearing loss.
Everything You Need to Know about Hearing Loss: The Facts
1. Hearing loss is one of the biggest public health issues in this country. In fact, it is the third most common physical issue, after heart disease and arthritis.
2. People of any age can be affected by gradual hearing loss, and this can range from mild deafness to profound deafness. 'Hearing loss' describes the rate at which people move towards full deafness, and it can be severe or mild, and permanent or temporary.
3. There are four degrees of hearing loss: profound, severe, moderate, and mild.
4. Those who were born deaf have what is known as 'congenital hearing loss'.
5. You cannot see hearing loss. Hence, people often mistakenly believe that those with hearing loss are confused or aloof.
6. Aging and noise are the most common reasons for adults having hearing loss. Age is the most important factor.
7. Hearing loss caused by aging is known as presbycusis, and it is actually caused by changes in the inner ear. This tends to be gradual hearing loss, although it is always permanent.
8. In the elderly, it is common for people to mistake hearing loss for dementia or other conditions.
9. Hearing loss caused by noise can be sudden, or it can develop slowly. Everyday noise exposure, such as noisy work environments, loud music, or even using a lawnmower, can cause people to gradually lose their hearing.
10. Sudden hearing loss due to noises, for instance, following explosions or gunfire, is the main cause of combat disabilities in wars today.
11. Severe tinnitus, which is a ringing in the ear, is often accompanied by hearing loss. Tinnitus can reduce someone's quality of life as much as hearing loss itself.
12. Other common hearing loss causes are objects in the ear, a buildup of earwax, ear infections, head or ear injuries, a ruptured eardrum, and medical conditions that affect the inner or middle ear.