Hearing loss is currently a public health concern and scientists think that it will become a lot more common for individuals in their 20’s to be using hearing aids.
The majority of individuals think of the elderly when they consider extreme hearing loss. But over the past few years, there has been a spike in hearing loss with all age groups. Hearing loss obviously isn’t an aging issue it’s an increasing epidemic and the rising instances among all age groups illustrates this.
Scientists predict that in the next 40 years, hearing loss rates will double in adults 20 and older. This is viewed as a public health problem by the healthcare community. One out of five people is, according to John Hopkins medical research, having a difficult time communicating because of extreme hearing loss.
Hearing loss is increasing amongst all age groups and here is why researchers think that is.
Hearing Loss Can Cause Additional Health Problems
It’s a horrible thing to have to go through severe hearing loss. Day-to-day communication becomes challenging, frustrating, and fatiguing. It can cause people to stop doing what they love and disengage from friends and family. If you don’t seek help, it’s nearly impossible to be active while enduring severe hearing loss.
It’s not only diminished hearing that people with untreated hearing loss suffer from. They’re much more likely to experience:
- Dementia
- Anxiety
- Injuries from recurring falls
- Cognitive decline
- Other severe health conditions
- Depression
They also have difficulty getting their basic needs met and are more likely to have problems with personal relationships.
people who endure hearing loss are impacted in their personal lives and may also have increased:
- Needs for public assistance
- Accident rates
- Disability rates
- Healthcare expenses
- Insurance rates
These factors show that hearing loss is a significant obstacle we need to deal with as a society.
What’s Contributing to Increased Hearing Loss Across All Generations?
The recent rise in hearing loss can be linked to several factors. One factor is the increased prevalence of common diseases that can cause hearing loss, such as:
- Obesity
- Cardiovascular disease
- High blood pressure
- Poor diet and a lack of regular exercise
- Diabetes
- Anxiety and unmanaged stress
More individuals are suffering from these and associated conditions at younger ages, which leads to added hearing loss.
Lifestyle also plays a significant role in the increased occurrence of hearing loss. Exposure to loud sounds is more common, specifically in work environments and recreational areas. Modern technology is frequently loud, and we’re being exposed to loud music and other noises in more places. It’s frequently the younger people who have the highest amount of noise exposure in:
- Gyms
- Factories
- Bars, clubs, and concerts
- Shooting ranges
Also, many people are turning the volume of their music up to harmful levels and are using earbuds. And a greater number of people are now making use of painkillers, either to address chronic pain or recreationally. Opiates, aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen will raise your risk of hearing loss particularly if used over a long time periods.
How is Society Reacting to Hearing Loss as a Health Issue?
Hearing loss is getting the attention of local, national, and world organizations. They’re educating the public as a step to reduce this rising trend with the following:
- Research
- Prevention
- Treatment possibilities
- Risk factors
These organizations also encourage individuals to:
- Wear their hearing aids
- Get their hearing checked sooner in their lives
- Recognize their degree of hearing loss risk
Hearing loss will become severe with any delay in these actions.
Solutions are being sought by government organizations, healthcare providers, and scientists. They’re also pursuing ways to bring hearing-loss associated costs down. This will help improve accessibility to state-of-the-art hearing technologies that significantly improve lives.
Comprehensive strategies are being developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other organizations as well as scientists. They are combining awareness, education, and health services to lower the danger of hearing loss among underserved groups.
Local leaders are being educated on the health impact of noise by being given researched-based guidelines for communities. They work with communities to minimize resident’s noise exposure and teach what safe levels of noise are. In addition, they’re furthering research on how opiate use and abuse can raise the chance of hearing loss.
What You Can do?
Keep yourself informed as hearing loss is a public health problem. Take steps to slow the development of your own hearing loss and share helpful information with others.
Have your own hearing checked if you believe you are experiencing hearing loss. Make sure you get and wear your hearing aids if you discover that you need them.
The final goal is to prevent all hearing loss. When you wear your hearing aids, you help people understand they’re not alone. You’re helping your community become more aware of the difficulties of hearing loss. This awareness has the power to improve attitudes, actions, and policies.