Hearing Loss & Hearing Aid Facts

Over five percent of the world’s population currently has some degree of hearing loss. This accounts for roughly 466 million people, with around 34 million of them being children. It’s estimated that by 2050, well over 900 million people will have hearing loss, making it one of the most common conditions that you could develop.

To help give you a better understanding of hearing loss and hearing aids, we’ve put together this article to cover some of the most important and interesting facts regarding both.

Key hearing loss facts

Educating yourself on the different reasons hearing loss develops and the symptoms associated can help you better protect yourself. Consider the following facts about hearing loss:

60% of childhood hearing loss is preventable

A large majority of the causes that lead to childhood hearing loss can actually be prevented. A lot of people misunderstand just how easy it is to damage your hearing. Even having your child near a loud television or outside while you’re mowing the lawn could damage their hearing permanently. Many of these situations are completely preventable, so if you have a child or are expecting a baby soon, make sure you keep them away from sources of loud noise.

1.1 billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of hearing loss due to their lifestyle choices

Whether it’s partying in clubs and bars or recreational activities that are inherently loud, over a billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of permanently damaging their hearing due to their recreational activities and lifestyle choices. This could even include working on a construction site without adequate ear protection or playing music in a band without wearing earplugs. There are countless different ways that you could accidentally damage your hearing, so make sure you’re aware of your surroundings and don’t be afraid to use earplugs or ear protection.

Hearing loss impacts you socially and emotionally

Many people underestimate the impact that hearing loss has on someone both emotionally and socially. Those who have hearing loss may find that their ability to communicate is diminished due to the difficulties in understanding their peers, especially when there’s a lot of background noise or multiple conversations happening at once. This can lead to social withdrawal and can affect someone emotionally.

Key hearing aid facts

If you’re ready to take control of your hearing health and think you can benefit from a hearing aid, consider the following facts to help you start a discussion with your audiologist.

Hearing aid technology is rapidly advancing and providing users with more advanced features and comforts

Hearing aids have come a long way since their inception decades ago and continue to advance with more unique and modern technologies. For instance, you’ll find many new hearing aids that support Bluetooth technology, meaning they can be used with your phone to play music, answer calls and also change the settings of your hearing aids.

Hearing aids can deal with tinnitus

Tinnitus and hearing loss usually appear together due to the similar circumstances that lead to both conditions. Luckily, the constant noise from tinnitus can actually be dealt with by using hearing aids. Whether it’s producing a white noise that masks it or covering the same frequencies as your tinnitus, your audiologist can pick a hearing aid that will provide relief from tinnitus while also helping with your hearing loss.

Hearing aids are severely underutilized even today

Far too many people have hearing loss and refuse to get hearing aids. They believe that hearing aids still have a negative stigma or they think that hearing aids are too costly or require a lot of maintenance. The reality is that hearing aids are easy to take care of, very affordable and do not have a negative stigma attached to them. Those who find hearing aids too bulky or uncomfortable may prefer discreet hearing aids that fit in the ear canal instead of hooking over the ear. There are many different styles of hearing aid and it’s important to speak to your audiologist to examine your options.

Hearing aids are available from audiologists

People often assume that hearing aids need to be purchased online or from a specific medical supplies business, but the reality is that your audiologist can actually help you purchase them for you. This means that your audiologist can perform a hearing test to examine your level of hearing loss, and then use that information to purchase the ideal hearing aid for your needs. This is extremely convenient and the best way to ensure that you get a hearing aid that suits your lifestyle and meets your expectations.

If you’d like to learn more about hearing loss and hearing aids, don’t hesitate to contact one of the knowledgeable team members at Audiology and Hearing Aid Services by calling 912-351-3038.