Hearing loss is a common problem today with hundreds of thousands of people suffering it to varying degrees. It has a big impact on the lives of the people afflicted, and there is often no cure for it.
Let’s take a look at the main causes of hearing loss and the problems it causes to those who are affected by it.
Age Related Deafness
Just as with many things in, life, by far the biggest cause of hearing loss is age. Presbycusis can begin to affect people in their thirties. The problem gets worse as the decades pass until most people who are older than 70 will suffer significant hearing loss.
I’m sure you have all heard of the cochlea when you were at school. It is the tiny coil within the ear that has hairs within it to detect sound. The hairs become damaged over decades, and they cannot react to sound the way they once did. The hairs can even die in the worst case. You will notice that people in their forties onwards sometimes ask you to repeat what you have said to them. It is a normal part of aging. Stanford Hearing Aids can advise you of the best equipment to help you hear as this condition progresses. Blue Angels Hearing is another company that offers high-quality hearing aids at more affordable prices.
Noise
Loud noises can also damage the hairs in the cochlea. That can happen at any age. It can be caused by machinery at work, constantly wearing earphones when the music is too loud, or in discos and clubs where the volume of the music it excessive.
Other Causes
Viral infections can attack the workings of the inner ear. Anybody can be struck down by them and sometimes the damage is irreparable. You may be surprised to hear that many people who succumb to mumps are left with permanent hearing loss when they are over it.
Sometimes hearing loss can be restored if the cause can be addresses, A buildup of earwax will block the eardrum and stop it working properly, so when the ears are cleaned out, the hearing returns to normal. The condition known as glue ear can be cured by inserting grommets into the ear drum.
Difficulties Faced By Deaf people
Obviously, childhood is the most difficult time. Communication is difficult at a young age for even before they reach school age. Imagine never having heard a human voice. Luckily the human mind is very resourceful and with lots of help from parents and professionals, Children soon learn alternative forms of communication.
We take reading for granted because we can hear the words in out head. How would you cope if you had never heard a spoken word. Scary isn’t it?
Of course, when deafness creeps up on older people, they can start to feel isolated if those around them do not consider their needs. They will not be able to join in conversations and laugh along with everyone else. That leads to depression in many people.
Everyone should think about hearing difficulties and ask themselves how they will cope when theirs starts to deteriorate, as it almost certainly will. Forewarned is forearmed, and if you can spot the signs of auditory loss early, you will be able to manage it well.
The good news is that there is no reason you cannot carry on living a full life, even if your hearing fails, so don’t have nightmares about deafness.