Put simply, hearing loss is the result of sound signals not reaching the brain. According to Action on Hearing Loss (AHL), a national charity, it affects around 11 million people—approximately one in six—in the UK, and is expected to impact as many as one in five by 2035. The condition can be neatly divided into two categories: sensorineural hearing loss, which is caused by damage to the auditory nerve and occurs as we age, and conductive hearing loss, which is caused by blockage such as earwax or glue ear. Age-related hearing loss—also known as presbycusis—can be the result of both environmental and genetic factors. Ageing is the single biggest cause of hearing loss; most people begin to lose their hearing in their 40s, and a significant proportion have serious problems by the time they’re 80 years old. Other risk factors include continued exposure to loud noises, acoustic trauma, genetics, and illnesses such as cancer, meningitis, stroke and multiple sclerosis. Hearing loss prevention isn’t always possible, but whatever its cause may be, there are some steps we can all take to protect our hearing for as long as possible.
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Ears are very fragile structures. They can be damaged easily and often the harm done can prove to be irreversible. In order to limit your risk of noise-induced hearing loss, NHS Choices recommends some simple lifestyle changes to aid hearing loss prevention—it’s extremely important to evaluate how much noise you’re exposed to. If you’re worried about your hearing, avoiding recreational risks might be a good place to start: activities like riding a snowmobile, regularly attending live concerts and hunting can all damage your hearing. Television, radio, and music should all be listened to on low volumes, especially if there are children around as their ears are more delicate than an adult’s. To safely listen to music through an iPod or MP3 player, the health service recommends abiding by the ’60:60’ rule—listen to your music at 60 percent of its full potential volume for no more than 60 minutes a day. Using noise-reducing earphones can block out considerable amounts of background noise, in turn cancelling the need for higher volume. For those who work in a particularly noisy environment—such as a nightclub, bar or building site—hearing loss prevention is a poignant topic. It’s advisable to use good earplugs and be aware of how to make use of them correctly. As ears are fragile and complex structures to begin with, NHS Choices also warns people against inserting any kind of object in their ears—whether that is cotton buds, tissues or fingers. It’s important to also be aware of the symptoms of common causes of hearing loss, which include ear infections—like otitis—mumps and measles.
See also: Hearing Loss: Find Support and Learn to Protect Your Hearing
As with all health concerns, it’s always best to make an appointment with your GP (or a specialist) if you notice your hearing is deteriorating. It is a good idea to consider regular hearing tests and check-ups as early detection of any possible problems is key when it comes to treatment and further prevention. Most types of hearing loss can be helped by simple hearing aids—according to AHL around 80-90 percent of people benefit from using hearing aids and also experience a better quality of life—but they are most effective when fitted early as waiting might make adapting to the devices more difficult. Getting to the bottom of hearing problems is paramount as it has been shown that hearing loss can also be a gateway to other long-term health issues like cardiovascular disease, stroke and obesity.
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