A lot of the changes that take place in our bodies due to the process of aging may often not be preventable. However, one common medical problem that a lot of the older people face, hearing loss, is not one of them at all and can be prevented? The sad thing is that a lot of people who are old and also a lot of the people in charge of their care think that hearing loss is something that is just meant to be. It is true that the gradual loss of hearing is a common problem for this demographic, especially after they have passed the age of 65. However, the important thing to take away from this ought to be that there are actions that can be taken in order to prevent such things from happening. A lot of the issues associated can be mitigated with the help of hearing aids and that is the main good news that we have for you.
There are a lot of studies out there that have been able to determine that about a third of the people in the States who are in between 65 and 75 years of age have some form of loss of hearing. It increases significantly more to about one-half when we talk about the people who are 75 years of age and older. Another important statistic that ought to be mentioned here is that about 40 percent of the people (20 million) who happen to have hearing problems are in the age range of 65 and upwards.
Some tips on how to prevent loss of hearing
When the waves of sound get to the inner parts of the ear, they have the ability to cause vibrations at the place where the eardrums are located before it heads on through the cochlea. This cochlea has, within it, thousands of nerve cells attached to the tiny hairs. This helps with translating these vibrations and also helps with converting them to electrical signals. These signals are then transmitted to our brains.
The medical name that has been given to hearing loss that is brought about due to aging is called presbycusis. This is said to occur when the tiny hair cells that act as receptors are damaged, and it also happens when there is damage from free radicals that can potentially clog up the tissues of the ears which act as amplifiers of sound. Another probable reason for hearing loss is the buildup of wax within the parts of the inner ear. Earwax has the ability to block the canals of the ear and then to prevent proper conduction of the sound waves. This particular type of hair loss can be solved by just removing the wax from within the ears.
Owing to the fact that hearing loss has the potential to start at just about any age, all hearing loss preventive measures should ideally start pretty soon and it should become a part of their daily life routine. Let’s take a closer look at some ways that you can prevent loss of hearing:
Avoid Dangerous Noises:
It is very unfortunate indeed that, due to a lot of factors in their environment, people of absolutely all age groups are these days experiencing hearing loss at much younger ages. Make sure that you take an active part in reducing the noise in your environment. You should start by turning down the volume of your stereo, car radio, TV, etc. This is especially important when you are using personal listening devices such as headphones and earphones. Never turn up the volume of your headphones past the 50 percent threshold and make sure that you never exceed 80 percent, not even for a short period of time as well.
Make sure that there is proper hygiene:
Never ever just stick any object or cotton swab in order to remove wax from the ear or to scratch the ears. If the wax in your ears is causing you problems with your hearing, then make sure that you speak to your doctor as soon as possible about how to deal with it.
When blowing the nose, make sure that you do it gently and that you make use of both the nostrils. Also, when traveling by air, yawn and swallow as often as you can when you are landing. If you have other problems or any issues such as a cold, a sinus infection, or just about any other illness of the respiratory system, you would be well advised to take a decongestant a few hours before the plane starts its descent.
Illnesses should be kept under control:
A lot of conditions have the potential to lead to a loss of hearing. This includes conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some other types of circulatory illnesses. The inner parts of your ear are extremely sensitive and they are also delicate. Therefore, any circulation issues have the potential to cause hearing problems. Hearing problems are also much more likely to happen to people who smoke.
Consult your doctor about your meds:
Some of the medications you may take (important to note that it is not all of them) can really have an effect on how you hear. For example, if you take too large a dose of aspirin, you may even suffer from temporary hearing loss. Then there are also certain types of diuretics that can really affect your ability to heart properly. Owing to the fact that hearing loss is in part genetic, you should immediately let your doctor know if you find out that someone in your family has or has had heart problems.
If you suspect that you do have problems with your hearing, then make sure that you do not delay in going to the doctor or your preferred audiologist as soon as possible. This will really help you in maintaining proper ear health. If you take too long to get to the doctor and the disease becomes much worse, then it may seriously cost you down the line.
Meta Description: Hearing loss can affect just about anyone but those among us who are older are much more likely to develop hearing problems. Read on to find out more about how to prevent hearing loss.
