Hearing loss is presently a public health problem and scientists believe that it will become much more common for people in their 20’s to be using hearing aids.
When you consider serious hearing loss, thoughts of elderly people may come to mind. But all age groups have seen a recent rise in hearing loss during the last few years. Hearing loss obviously isn’t an aging issue it’s an increasing crisis and the rising cases among all age groups demonstrates this.
Researchers predict within the next 40 years, hearing loss cases will double in adults 20 and older. The healthcare community views this as a major public health problem. One out of five individuals is, according to John Hopkins medical research, having a difficult time communicating because of extreme hearing loss.
Hearing loss is rising among all age groups and here is why experts think that is.
Added Health Issues Can be The Consequence of Hearing Loss
Serious hearing loss is an awful thing to experience. Normal communication becomes challenging, frustrating, and exhausting. It can cause people to stop doing what they enjoy and disengage from family and friends. When you’re going through extreme hearing loss, it will be impossible to be active without getting help.
It’s not only diminished hearing that people with untreated hearing loss suffer from. They’re far more likely to develop:
- Injuries from recurring falls
- Other severe health conditions
- Cognitive decline
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Dementia
They’re also more likely to have difficulties with their personal relationships and may have trouble getting basic needs met.
Individuals who endure hearing loss are affected in their personal lives and could also have increased:
- Accident rates
- Disability rates
- Healthcare costs
- Insurance costs
- Needs for public support
These factors indicate that hearing loss is a significant challenge we should fight as a society.
Why Are Numerous Age Groups Encountering Increased Hearing Loss?
The current rise in hearing loss can be linked to several factors. The increased instances of some common illnesses that cause hearing loss is one factor, including:
- Anxiety and unmanaged stress
- Diabetes
- Poor diet and a lack of regular exercise
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Cardiovascular disease
These conditions and other associated conditions are contributing to additional hearing loss because they’re happening to people at earlier ages.
Increased prevalence of hearing loss also has a lot to do with lifestyle. Exposure to loud sounds is more common, particularly in recreation areas and work environments. We’re being exposed to loud sounds and music in more places and modern technology is getting louder. It’s often the younger people who have the highest degree of noise exposure in:
- Bars, clubs, and concerts
- Factories
- Shooting ranges
- Gyms
Moreover, many people are cranking the volume of their music up to hazardous volumes and are wearing earbuds. And more individuals are managing pain with painkillers or using them recreationally. Prolonged, frequent use of opiates, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and aspirin have also been connected with a higher risk of hearing loss.
How is Society Reacting to Hearing Loss as a Health Problem?
Hearing loss is getting the attention of local, national, and world organizations. They’re doing work to end this upward trend by educating the public on hearing loss such as:
- Treatment possibilities
- Research
- Prevention
- Risk factors
Individuals are being urged by these organizations to:
- Wear their hearing aids
- Get their hearing evaluated sooner in their lives
- Know their level of hearing loss risk
Any delays in these actions make the impact of hearing loss a lot worse.
Scientists, healthcare providers, and government organizations are seeking solutions. They’re also pursuing ways to bring hearing-loss related costs down. This will help increase accessibility to state-of-the-art hearing technologies that greatly enhance lives.
Broad approaches are being developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other organizations as well as scientists. They are combining education, awareness, and health services to reduce the danger of hearing loss among underserved communities.
Among their efforts, they’ve created research-based guidelines for communities, which help local leaders understand the health affects of noise. They work with communities to minimize resident’s noise exposure and instruct them on what safe levels of noise are. In addition, they’re furthering research on how opiate use and abuse can raise the danger of hearing loss.
Can You do Anything?
Hearing loss is a public health problem so remain informed. Share helpful information with other people and take steps to slow the development of your own hearing loss.
If you suspect you may be suffering from hearing loss, have your hearing examined. If you find you need hearing aids, be sure to wear them.
The main goal is to prevent all hearing loss. When you wear your hearing aids, you help people see they’re not alone. You’re helping your community become more aware of the problems of hearing loss. This awareness has the power to transform attitudes, actions, and policies.