Hearing Loss Is Avoidable
Life in today’s world has become considerably louder with the increase in the number of cars and lorries on the roads, more powerful sound systems in the home, cinemas and theaters and the constant sounds from industrial plants and electrical equipment. This has meant that the number of Americans who are either deaf or suffer from hearing difficulties has risen to over 28 million.
Fortunately a lot of hearing loss can be prevented or delayed. Vast improvements have been made in the technology used in hearing aids and medical treatments for hearing loss.
Hearing loss is now occurring at younger ages as more young people are exposed to dangerous sound levels. The number of Americans that are living with irreversible damage to their hearing from dangerous noise levels is around 10 million, and 30 million are exposed to damaging levels of noise every day.
People between the ages of 45 and 64 have the highest amount of hearing loss with a 365% loss amongst males and 85% loss amongst women. Thankfully the majority of hearing loss from noise levels and ear infections including middle ear infections in children is preventable.
Hearing tests at birth are now highly recommended. Otoacoustic emmision testing for newborn babies can now accurately diagnose any hearing loss. Language skills begin to develop in the first six months after birth and by diagnosing any problems as early as possible will give a child the best opportunity for healthy development.
Our hearing is the process of converting sound waves that cause vibration against the eardrum and the tiny bones in the middle ear and the cochlea into electrical signals. The cochlea, also known as the organ of hearing, has tiny cells that are able to convert these vibrations into nerve impulses which then travel to the brain. If these cells become damaged they die and cannot grow back.
Many people who damage their ears may end up suffering from tinnitus, a high pitched constant ringing in their ears. Around 40 million Americans are known to suffer from tinnitus but most learn to live with it.
Tinnitus can be the mild cases where the person can quite easily be lulled off to sleep by the sounds. But for others tinnitus can be simply maddening. No outright cure has been found for tinnitus, but relief is available and can helps over 80% of the severe cases estimated at 10 million sufferers.
William Shatner, the actor best known for his role as Captain Kirk on the television series Star Trek was almost driven to commit suicide after being tormented by tinnitus. The cause of his condition may have been the loud explosions that he was exposed to during the filming of the TV series.
You can prevent hearing loss in several ways. Earplugs can prevent you from losing your hearing. Everyday home equipment that produces over 90 decibels of sound such as lawnmowers and even some vacuum cleaners can cause temporary hearing loss if used for a long duration. 100 decibels from work equipment can damage a person’s hearing in 15 minutes if left unprotected. Any exposure to above 110 decibels such as from rock concerts, racing cars and chainsaws can cause permanent hearing loss.
Your hearing can be seriously damaged by infections if treatment is delayed. Pain and swelling are not always present during an infection. No other symptoms may be present apart from a loss in hearing. It is therefore important to discuss any hearing problems with a doctor and take a hearing test.









