In today’s blog, I am writing about HEARING LOSS IN SENIORS, and if you go by medical science hearing loss caused due to old age is known as ‘Presbycusis’. Studies have shown that one in five people over the age of sixty is afflicted with some sort of hearing problem. Seniors suffering from presbycusis often are not able to recognize that they are suffering, because of the gradual nature of the condition. Given below are five signs of hearing loss you should ignore, and are some medical conditions, which may lead to this condition:
1 You find it hard to make out certain sounds
With age, it can be difficult to distinguish between certain sounds, especially high-pitched sounds like ‘sh’ or ‘th’. Experts say that when you can hear vowels but not consonants, it sounds like people are not speaking clearly, but the actual fact is, there is hearing loss.
2 Trouble following conversations
It is quite common to pick up cues from the other person while conversing to help us navigate through the conversation. Facial expressions, lip reading, context-all of them help in following a conversation, especially when you are hard of hearing, and this may be done subconsciously as well. However, with the widespread use of a mask during the Covid pandemic, these helping cues were taken away, so a person finds it harder to follow conversations compared to before if the person is hard of hearing.
3 People are telling you to turn down the volume of the TV or music you are listening to
If people are frequently telling you to turn down the volume, it is a good idea to check up with your doctor about hearing loss. Alternatively, when watching TV with the family, you may find yourself straining your ears in order to follow the TV program.
4 Talking on the phone is harder than before
When you are talking to someone face to face, the sound is usually going in both years, but talking on the phone generally means that sound is going in one year. That makes it challenging to properly make out what the other person is saying, especially if you are holding the phone to your ear, which has more hearing loss.
5 Some sounds are too loud
The phenomenon when certain sounds seem to be louder than normal and make you easily startled is called ‘recruitment’. This happens when a person does not lose all the hair cells in the ears at the same time. Therefore, when sound is louder than normal, it makes the remaining healthy cells react more convincingly than they normally would.
Medical conditions which may lead to hearing loss
There are certain other medical conditions that seem to have a link with hearing loss. A study has found that hearing loss is twice as common in people with diabetes compared to people who do not have diabetes.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, can also cause damage to blood vessels in the body, which include those vessels carrying blood to the ears. Studies have shown that people with high blood pressure have a higher rate of hearing loss.
Osteoporosis is also one condition that can cause hearing loss due to softening of the bones in the year, although the chances of this happening are very rare.
So friends, if you are observing any of the above signs, and feel your hearing is getting impacted, then the time has come to go to the ear specialist to get your hearing checked, and remedies sought.
Waiting for your views on this blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
14th March 2023