Hearing Loss: Your Guide to Stop Saying “Huh?”

Hearing loss affects more than just the ability to communicate, it can influence your social life, cognition, energy levels, and even mobility. ¹ In the United States, 37.5 million adults, or just over one in every six adults, report some trouble hearing. ² Being proactive with prevention techniques and understanding the factors that contribute to hearing loss may help you avoid making “huh?” your new catchphrase.

Causes and Risk Factors for Hearing Loss

We most often associate hearing loss with age or loud noises, but there are several factors that are responsible for causing damage to the ear.

Noise Exposure

Excess exposure to loud noises is a common way to develop hearing loss and is more than likely the first cause that most people think of, but it is almost always preventable. The risk of damage stems from both decibel level and duration, so even moderately noisy environments can damage hearing over a longer period. Most sounds that are at or below 70dBA (A-weighted decibels), like a normal conversation which clocks in at about 70dBA, will not cause damage regardless of length, but repeated exposure of sounds that are 85dBA or greater can cause hearing loss over time. ³

Age

As we age, changes to the inner ear, exposure to certain medications, cumulative effects of noise exposure, and related health conditions can all increase the odds of developing hearing loss. ⁴

Infection

Did you know that most children will experience an ear infection by the age of 3? Chronic ear infections or infections left untreated can cause damage, resulting in hearing loss. ² Meningitis, an infection causing inflammation of fluid and membranes surrounding the spinal cord, can also cause this if left untreated. ⁵

Medications

Hearing loss caused by certain medications or chemicals is known as ototoxicity, which quite literally means poisoning of the ear. Ototoxic drugs, or those that may damage the inner ear, are often used in serious cases where the benefit of treatment outweighs the risk of hearing loss. ⁶ Different types of ototoxic drugs and chemicals include:

Aminoglycoside antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections
Chemotherapy drugs used for cancer treatments, such as carboplatin and cisplatin
Loop diuretics, or water pills, often used for lowering blood pressure
Environmental chemicals like mercury, tin, lead, and carbon monoxide

Complications of Hearing Loss

The impacts of hearing loss can extend beyond the ear, affecting one’s social life, and even cognitive function.

Social Isolation and Depression – Hearing loss makes communication more difficult, which in turn can lead to social isolation, bad mood, and even depression. ⁷
Increased Dementia Risk – Understanding sounds and speech becomes more difficult, causing the brain to overwork itself. This in turn may result in changes to the part of the brain that affects our cognitive abilities. ⁸
Tinnitus – Commonly described as a ringing in the ears, tinnitus is a phantom sound that only the affected individual can hear. Frequency, volume, and characteristics vary from person to person, but most individuals who experience tinnitus have some degree of hearing loss. ⁹
Dizziness and Increased Risk of Falling – Because the inner ear is important for balance, damage can be accompanied by dizziness and increase your risk of falling. ¹

Treatment

Treatment depends greatly on the cause, with most treatment methods focusing on managing symptoms. Here are a few treatment examples that can be implemented in people of all ages, including children and infants: ¹⁰

Hearing Aids – Hearing aids increase the volume, allowing you to hear better, and are used to help with many types of hearing loss.
Cochlear Implants – A device that sends signals directly to the nerves of the inner ear and is commonly used to help children that have severe hearing loss.
Surgery – In cases like repeated infections, surgery can be helpful to remove fluid buildup from the inner ear. These drainage tubes are common in children who are more prone to ear infections.

Hearing Loss Prevention

Most types of hearing loss are irreversible, which means protecting your hearing from a young age is crucial. Following these tips may help keep your ears in tip-top shape: ¹¹

Limit your exposure to loud noises. The level of damage depends on both how loud a sound is, and how long you’re exposed to it.
Keep your distance. Staying further away from the source of a loud sound can reduce the decibel level you’re exposed to.
Wear hearing protection like ear plugs when you’re unable to avoid loud noises.
Stay on top of your immunizations to prevent infections like Meningitis that can affect your hearing.

Your hearing is important and protecting it can be beneficial to your health in many ways. Remember that prevention is key, and your healthcare team can be a valuable resource in preventing ear infections and picking the right medications to protect your ears.