According to the National Institutes of Health, age-related hearing loss is primarily due to changes in the inner ear because of genetics or repeated exposure to loud noise. Many Baby Boomers may be regretting all of those rock concerts or looking at their parents as a cause of their hearing loss, but the good news is that technology is on their side.
Typically, your first sign of hearing loss will be others’ frustration with having to repeat themselves. You may have been compensating for it by turning up the volume on your TV and radio, but you obviously can’t do the same with your friends and family. If you accuse your grandchildren of mumbling but everyone else can hear them clearly, this is a sign of presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss, as higher pitched sounds are the first to go. Take comfort in the fact that you’re not alone.
Presbycusis occurs in about 35 percent of individuals between the ages of 65-75, and this figure rises to nearly half of those over the age of 75. This condition may be accompanied by tinnitus, that persistent ringing in the ears, which, in itself, is an indicator of hearing loss and may make it harder to hear competing, higher-pitched sounds. The source of the problem is most likely damage to the cilia, fibers located in the inner ear responsible for converting sound into electrical signals which travel to the brain. Unfortunately, cilia do not have the ability to regenerate, so the damage is done.
However, before you run to an audiologist for a hearing test, consider some other reasons for your hearing loss. A build-up of ear wax (cerumen) could be the culprit, and we may think that cotton swabs are the answer which, of course, they’re not, tending to push the wax farther into the ear canal and pose the potential risk of rupturing the eardrum. (Mom was right when she said, “Never put anything bigger than your elbow in your ear.”) Your doctor can perform an ear lavage to irrigate the ear canal and flush out any solids but don’t try this at home. A recent sinus infection or chronic allergies could also be to blame so ask your doctor.
Once your doctor has made a diagnosis of age-related hearing loss, you -- and your friends and family members -- can either live with it or contact an audiologist who can fit you with a hearing aid. Many people fight the idea of this type of device, whether because of the cost or out of sheer vanity. Hearing tests and hearing aids are generally not covered by Medicare unless your doctor makes a disease- or injury-related diagnosis; however, some Medicare supplements do cover the hearing exam and devices, and it’s recommended that you check with the plan’s explanation of benefits for this type of coverage.
Hearing aids have made great advancements due to microprocessors and other computerized technology. And with the amount of people wearing Bluetooth headsets these days, your hearing aid may be easily mistaken for one of them. Some models still generate feedback if you’re on the phone, but the usual complaints, such as background noise or obtrusive appearance, have diminished. As your hearing loss becomes more profound, you may require a more expensive model, so it’s suggested that you come in and see an audiologist as soon as you’re ready.
Other assistive devices to consider that are a little easier on the pocketbook and don’t require a doctor’s order include TTY machines for the telephone, closed captioning for TV shows and wireless headsets when closed captioning is not an option. Check with your telephone provider to see what kind of TTY devices are offered: a QWERTY keyboard allows you to communicate with callers, and their conversations are captured and displayed on an analog readout. You can set up closed captioning from the menu on your television, and many online companies sell wireless headsets where you can adjust the volume as loud as possible without disturbing the person next to you or your next-door neighbors. You’ll be surprised by all the options out there.
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