Hearing loss is one of the most common afflictions in the world, with over 15% of Americans experiencing hearing loss at some point in their lives.
That’s a pretty big number, but it’s also a steady one. It’s stayed the same for the last 30 years, despite all the advances in hearing technology and treatments. You might be asking, why?
There’s no one single reason. In fact, there are a ton of reasons for hearing loss. To get a good idea of why hearing loss is so prevalent, you have to look at some of the biggest causes.
The Biggest Causes of Hearing Loss
Stress
This one is a biggie. Stress damages your hearing. When you’re stressed out, you produce more cortisol, which can affect your hearing.
That’s because cortisol thins your blood, which can make it harder for your ears to function properly and harder for your ears to hear.
Stress can also cause you to have high blood pressure, which is another risk factor for hearing loss.
If you want to prevent hearing loss, try to relieve stress.
Meniere’s Disease
Meniere’s disease is a disorder that causes you to experience vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss.
It affects between 8 and 15 out of every 100,000 people in the United States, with a higher risk among the elderly. It’s also more common in women than it is in men.
The cause of Meniere’s disease is unknown, but scientists think it might be genetic.
Neurological Disorders
Neurological disorders affect the way your brain works. They can cause problems with balance, movement, and vision.
Some of the disorders that can affect your hearing include:
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Encephalitis
If you have one of these diseases, you’re at a higher risk for hearing loss.
Diabetes
Diabetes is the most prevalent disease in the world. It causes a person’s blood sugar to be too high.
It is a risk factor for hearing loss, because it can cause high blood pressure, which can lead to a build-up of fluid in the ears. If you have diabetes, make sure you’re getting your blood pressure checked regularly.
Alcoholism
When you drink alcohol, it runs through your bloodstream and goes into your brain. If you drink too much, it can become toxic to your brain.
Because your brain controls your hearing, alcohol can cause hearing loss.
One study found that those who drank more than 40 grams of alcohol daily were at a greater risk of hearing loss.
Smoking
Smoking cigarettes is bad for your health in a ton of ways. It can cause cancer, can cause heart disease and can cause lung problems. It’s also a big risk factor for hearing loss.
Smoking can age your ears and can cause tinnitus and hearing loss.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy can be a pretty rough time for some women. It can cause nausea, fatigue, and discomfort. It can also cause hearing loss. That’s because pregnancy can change the composition of your blood, which can affect your ears.
If you’re pregnant, make sure you’re getting your blood pressure checked regularly.
Aging
This is the most common cause of hearing loss in the United States, affecting more than a third of the population. It’s caused by a natural change in the inner ear as you get older.
It is the result of many of the above causes.
How Can You Live with Hearing Loss?
Hearing loss doesn’t have to be the end of the world. You can live with it, and even thrive with it. All it takes is a little bit of effort, some new technology, and some knowledge.
If you do want to get your hearing back, there are some new treatments available. If you’re not interested in those, there are still things you can do.
Here are some tips that can help you live with hearing loss:
Get A Hearing Aid:
Hearing aids are the most effective way to get your hearing back. There are a lot of different kinds of hearing aids, but they all have the same basic function: They pick up sound waves and make them louder.
In most cases, you’ll be able to get a hearing aid for free or with a low-cost. You can get a hearing aid over-the-counter or you can get one from a specialist.
You can also get a prescription from a doctor, which you can use to get a hearing aid from your insurance provider.
Investing in the best hearing aids can help you hear again. They’re not perfect, and they’re not for everyone, but they’re a great way to get back some of the hearing you lost.
Use Your Phone:
If you’re not interested in a hearing aid, you can try using other technology. There are a lot of apps out there that can help you hear better. They do this by amplifying sound.
There are also some great apps that can translate the sounds you hear into different languages.
These apps can be great for people who have lost some of their hearing, but still want to be able to communicate with others.
Learn Some Sign Language:
It’s important to remember that there are other ways to communicate besides talking.
If you’re not interested in hearing aids, consider learning some sign language. It can help you communicate with others, even if you’re not able to hear them.
Hearing loss doesn’t have to be a death sentence for your social life or for your ability to communicate with others.
Make Sure You’re Getting Your Blood Pressure Checked Regularly:
If you have diabetes, make sure you’re getting your blood pressure checked regularly. If you have high blood pressure, this can cause fluid to build up in your ears.
You can also get your blood pressure checked regularly to make sure you’re at a healthy level.
Get Your Fluids Checked:
If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, make sure you’re getting your fluids checked regularly. Filled-up or blocked ears can cause hearing loss.
Get Your Hearing Checked:
If you’ve noticed that you’re having trouble hearing, it might be time to get your hearing checked out.
Hearing loss is caused by so many causes, but it’s easier to treat when you catch it early. Don’t wait until you’re 85 to go to the doctor, or you might be late. If you’ve noticed that you’re having trouble hearing, it might be time to get your hearing checked out.
Conclusion
Hearing loss is a pretty common problem. In fact, it’s one of the most common in the world. There are a ton of different things that can cause hearing loss. Some of the biggest include diabetes, Meniere’s disease, and neurological disorders.
There are also a lot of reasons why hearing loss happens. Some of these include aging, stress, smoking, and alcohol.
There are treatments for hearing loss, including hearing aids and other technology.
Hearing loss is a big problem, but it can be fixed.
