Hearing Loss Has No Age Requirement

2020-07-16 Did you know that having your hearing tested at a young age can make a huge difference in your life? That might sound like a bold statement to you, but it’s true. According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology, 3 million children under the age of 18 have some hearing loss, including four out of every 1,000 newborns.

With early detection of hearing loss, a medical professional can help you preserve your natural level of hearing. This initial action can stunt the loss and you won’t suffer later in life from any of the cognitive side effects possible with hearing loss.

“People my age don't get hearing loss”

Hearing loss is not a condition that only affects senior citizens. An estimated 12.5% of children and adolescents aged 6–19 years (approximately 5.2 million) and 17% of adults aged 20–69 years (approximately 26 million) have suffered permanent damage to their hearing from excessive exposure to noise alone.¹ Hearing loss has a sneaky way of slowly taking away a person’s freedom and confidence when left untreated. Don’t fall victim to this highly preventable condition. Noise-induced hearing loss is usually caused by exposure to excessively loud sounds and cannot be medically or surgically corrected. This can result from a one-time exposure to a very loud sound, blast or impulse, or from listening to loud sounds over an extended period.¹ If you work in a high-noise profession you could already be experiencing hearing loss. Studies show that even teachers risk hearing loss because they work in high-volume environments.²

“Hearing loss won’t affect my life!”

Out of all aging people, those with hearing impairment tend to lose cognitive abilities (problem-solving, long-term memory, logic, reasoning and more), 40% faster than those without hearing loss.³ One reason is because with hearing loss, confidence in one’s abilities lessens, leaving stress and frustration in its wake. The more a person suffers from hearing loss, the less likely they are to want to join social situations. They hide their lack of hearing by shying away from any situation that may cause embarrassment. This can lead to depression and even dementia, especially in the elderly.

“So what can I do?”

Something as easy as a hearing assessment* can improve your chances of not suffering from a decrease in cognitive ability as you age. The earlier any hearing loss (even the most minute) is detected and treated, the better!

Great advances in technology have made treatment even easier! Long gone are the cumbersome devices that drew attention to your condition. The newest hearing aids are almost invisible, comfortable and have the most advanced technology with some truly amazing features. Hearing devices today remove the embarrassment of the past. You will now enjoy sharp, crisp sound with no background noise! Keep yourself ahead of the game and have your hearing assessed* by a hearing care professional today!