What? Is this something you hear yourself saying more often than ever? Well, you’re certainly not alone. About one-third of Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 have hearing problems.
One reason for the recent rise in hearing difficulties is that people are simply living longer, and that means that age-related hearing loss occurs more often. The other reason is that we live in an extremely noisy world. It’s estimated that more than half the mp3 devices sold have volume levels that can go past a safe level of noise. Hearing music at this leve – 89 decibels or above – virtually guarantees a loss in hearing.
For people with age-related hearing loss, the condition can creep up gradually and be almost unnoticeable. Many times it’s family or friends who are the first to realize there’s something wrong.
If the person with the hearing loss doesn’t recognize what’s going on, or is not willing to see a specialist about the condition, the consequences can be awkward and depressing.
A study by the National Council on Aging showed that people with hearing loss who didn’t use a hearing aid suffered from embarrassment, anxiety and depression. They cut back on their social lives because it became too frustrating to try to talk to people. In the most serious cases, they suffered anxiety-related disorders like dizziness, high blood pressure, muscular pains and digestive problems.
