Hearing loss in the United States is twice as common as diabetes or cancer. About 48 million people in the U.S. have hearing loss in at least one ear, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In fact, 1 of out of 5 men and 1 of out of 8 women report that they have at least some trouble hearing.

Kimberly Anthony, AuD, of Alliance Community Medical Foundation Otolaryngology, shares five facts to know about hearing loss.

1. Hearing loss is a serious public health problem that can affect people of all ages and disrupt important communication.

Hearing loss is defined as the partial or total loss of sound perception in one or both ears. The onset of hearing loss can be sudden or can occur over a long period of time.

According to the CDC, the signs of hearing loss can vary. People with hearing loss may have trouble hearing high-pitched sounds, or they may perceive speech or other sounds as being muffled. They may have difficulty understanding speech over the phone or in places with a lot of background noise.

People with hearing loss may also often ask others to speak louder, to repeat what they said or to speak more slowly and clearly. They may find themselves turning up the volume to hear their devices, or they may be hypersensitive to certain sounds. Difficulty hearing certain consonants or experiencing ringing in the ears may also be signs of hearing loss.

2. Hearing loss has nothing to do with senility.

Hearing loss has a variety of causes but has nothing to do with senility. The most common cause of hearing loss is repeated exposure to loud sounds.

Additional causes are:

• Age. Age is the No. 1 cause of hearing loss in people older than age 50.
• Heredity.
• Circulatory disorders or hypertension.
• Ear infections.
• Bony growths in the middle or outer ear.
• Reactions to medications.
• Accumulation of ear wax.

3. Shouting more loudly to a person with hearing loss does NOT help them better understand you.

Hearing Health Foundation offers nine tips for communicating with people with hearing loss. For example, you should speak slowly but naturally. It is also helpful to face the person and make eye contact so that they can read your lips.

When speaking, try a different word or repeat the whole sentence if the person with hearing loss doesn’t understand. Try saying things in a different way, but do not say “never mind” or “it isn’t important.”

When possible, send a text or email rather than using a mobile phone to call a person with hearing loss. The person may have difficulty hearing you talk on a mobile phone because of background noise.

4. You can take precautions to prevent hearing loss caused by noise. If you already have some noise-related hearing loss, you can take steps to keep it from worsening.

The CDC says that there is no medical or surgical treatment for hearing loss caused by noise, but you can take steps to keep it from getting worse. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), three ways to protect your hearing from damaging noise are to:

• Walk away. Move away from the sound source if possible, and the decibel level will go down.
• Turn it down. Turn down the volume on your personal stereo system (phone, etc.), car stereo, radio, television, speaker system, PA system and other audio devices.
• Use hearing protectors. Cover your ears with earplugs or earmuffs. Depending on the situation, one of these hearing protection devices will help. When using earplugs, be sure to insert them properly.

The next time you are around loud sounds, think about which of the three ways is the best and most practical choice for protecting your hearing.

5. You should see a healthcare provider to determine how your type of hearing loss can be helped.

In most cases, nerve deafness can be helped through amplification. Your sense of hearing keeps you tuned in to life. Your brain consciously and subconsciously processes all audible sound. Your healthcare provider can evaluate your hearing loss and help develop a plan for managing it that works best for you.

Sources:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Hearing Health Foundation
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)