About one-third of all people over the age of 65 have some level of hearing loss, and that number is likely to increase as the current earbud-wearing generation gets older. From 2000 to 2015, the number of people with hearing loss. And it’s not just older people. It’s estimated that two to three out of every 1,000 children are born with a detectable level of hearing loss, and that one in five teens has some form of hearing loss. That’s why hearing aids are such an important product.
When most people think of hearing aids, they think of the clunky devices that their grandparents wear. But hearing devices come in so many other shapes and forms. There are digital hearing aids, cochlear implants and other forms of surgical implants. The sad truth is that many people with hearing loss, about 15 million, avoid taking care of their hearing problems. They don’t see a specialist about their condition and they don’t take advantage of assistive listening devices. Those who do finally break down and deal with the problem typically wait about seven years on average to get help for their hearing problem. Putting off dealing with hearing loss and not getting treatment can lead to a host of problems. For example, children with hearing loss that is not helped with an assistive listening device miss about 50% of classroom instruction, which can cause them to fall behind in their studies. For adults, the lifetime costs of major hearing loss can add up to $1 million or more.
Though some hearing loss is due to illness and genetics and is not preventable, many types of hearing loss are if you take the right precautions. For example, if you work around loud equipment or have to work in a loud environment, such as a stadium, arena or concert hall, you should wear hearing protection. You also should avoid listening to loud music in headphones or earbuds, as this can damage your inner ear and lead to hair loss.
Hearing loss is not something to mess with, as it can cause you to miss out on important things in life related to work or school. You should do all you can to protect your ears, and if you suspect you already have a problem with hearing loss, don’t wait to see a doctor and do something about it.
