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New studies show hearing loss on the rise...

Nov 8

6 min read

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Until recently, hearing loss has traditionally been considered to be an age-related condition. However studies show that hearing loss is beginning to affect all ages and is predicted to increase drastically in the next 40 years.

That's a lot of people!


Currently, 360 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss. By 2050 that number is predicted to increase to 700 million. Here in the US, the number of Americans with hearing loss is expected to increase from nearly 44.1 million adults in 2020 to 73.5 million by 2060. 


What is causing the global increase in hearing loss?


The most notable causes for the rising trend in hearing loss include demographic changes related to global population growth and improved life expectancy.


Always wear ear protection in loud environments!


Additionally, sensorineural hearing loss, caused by damage to the hair cells in the inner ear, is considered the major pathway to permanent hearing impairment. Because of the lack of education on proper hearing protection and noise exposure, sensorineural hearing loss is projected to increase drastically.


What can I do to prevent hearing loss for me and my loved ones?


Some quick changes you can make to prevent hearing loss in your life and loved ones are:


*Wear hearing protection

*Avoid exposure to loud noises

*Wear earplugs

*Have your hearing tested regularly

*Educate your friends and family


Only you can prevent hearing loss!


Like my friend Smokey the Bear says "Only you can prevent forest fires". Let's all do our part to stop the spread of hearing loss!




Sources:

National Center for Health Statistics. Percentage of Any Difficulty Hearing for Adults Aged 18 and Over, United States, 2019–2022. National Health Interview Survey. Found on the internet at https://wwwn.cdc.gov/NHISDataQueryTool/SHS_adult/index.html

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  2. Goman, Adele M. and Lin, Frank R. Prevalence of Hearing Loss by Severity in the United States. American Journal of Public Health. October 2016. Found on the internet at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5024365/

  3. United Nations. Sign Languages Unite Us! Found on the internet at https://www.un.org/en/observances/sign-languages-day

  4. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Quick Statistics About Hearing Loss. March 25, 2021. Found on the internet at https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing

  5. World Report on Hearing. World Health Organization. 2021. Found on the internet at https://apps.who.int/iris/rest/bitstreams/1334317/retrieve

  6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Loud Noise Can Cause Hearing Loss. Found on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/public_health_scientific_info.html

  7. Cheslock, Megan and De Jesus, Orlando. Presbycusis. StatPearls. May 2023. Found on the internet at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559220/

  8. Hearing Loss in Adults. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Found on the internet at https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/hearing-loss/

  9. Zheng, Yunfang and Guan, Jianwei. Cochlear Synaptopathy: A Review of Hidden Hearing Loss. Journal of Otorhinolaryngology Disorders Treatments. March 2018. Found on the internet at https://sciforschenonline.org/journals/otorhinolaryngology-disorders-treatments/article-data/JODT-1-105/JODT-1-105.pdf

  10. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Sensorineural Hearing Loss. Found on the internet at https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/sensorineural-hearing-loss/

  11. Too Loud! For Too Long! Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. January 2020. Found on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/hearingloss/index.html

  12. Cone, Barbara, et al. Ototoxic Medications (Medication Effects). American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Found on the internet at https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/ototoxic-medications/

  13. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Conductive Hearing Loss. =Found on the internet at https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/conductive-hearing-loss/

  14. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Otosclerosis. Found on the internet at https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/otosclerosis

  15. Wright, Tony. Meniere’s Disease. BMJ Clinical Evidence. November 2015. Found on the internet at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4636025/

  16. McDaid, David, et al. Estimating the Global Costs of Hearing Loss. International Journal of Audiology. February 2021. Found on the internet at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14992027.2021.1883197

  17. Reed, Nicholas S., et al. Trends in Health Care Costs and Utilization Associated With Untreated Hearing Loss Over 10 Years. Journal of the American Medical Association. January 2019. Found on the internet at https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/article-abstract/2714049