Share

Heal your hearing

accreditation

Pause for a moment and imagine a world where you struggle to hear ambient noise or follow conversations?

As you age, you’ll experience a number of bodily changes. Hearing loss may be one of them.

Age-related hearing loss is the gradual decrease in how well you can hear as you get older. This condition affects mostly older
people, and often damages hearing in both ears equally. As it happens slowly over time, you could have age-related hearing loss
without even realising it’s happened!

Even though it isn’t life-threatening, hearing loss can have a major impact on your quality of life. It can make it difficult to understand
and follow your doctor’s advice, respond to warnings, and hear phones, doorbells, and alarms. It can also pose more than a few
frustrations when socialising with your family and friends, and make you feel isolated, irritated, and embarrassed.  

What causes it?

> Changes in the structures of the inner ear.
> Changes in blood flow to the ear.
> Impairment in the nerves responsible for hearing.
> Changes in the way the brain processes speech and sound.
> Damage to the tiny hairs in the ear that are responsible for transmitting sound to the brain.

Factors that increase the risk of hearing loss:

1. Family history. Age-related hearing loss tends to run in families.
2. Years of exposure to loud noises. Construction workers, farmers, and musicians are at a high risk for hearing problems.  
3. Smoking. Smokers are more likely to have hearing loss than non-smokers.
4. Diabetes. High blood glucose levels can cause damage to the small blood vessels in the inner ear.
5. High blood pressure. Blood pressure that is abnormally high can damage your blood vessels over time. This affects your entire body,
including your ears, and can impair your hearing.  
6. Some medications can also cause hearing problems, e.g. chemotherapy, antibiotics, and over-the-counter pain relievers. In large doses, these meds can be harmful to your ears and may cause permanent hearing loss, even after the drugs have been stopped.

You may have age-related hearing loss if you:

  • Have difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds. You may notice that you have difficulty hearing female or children’s voices.
  • Have difficulty hearing in noisy areas.
  • Have difficulty hearing background noises and people around you.
  • Frequently ask people to repeat themselves.
  • Can’t hear the difference between certain sounds, like “s” and “th”.
  • Have problems understanding conversations over the phone.
  • Have a constant ringing in your ears.
  • Turn up the volume on the television or radio louder than normal.

If you have any of these symptoms, it’s best to have your hearing checked out as soon as possible. Hearing loss cannot be reversed, and
may lead to deafness if left untreated.

Save your hearing

1. Avoid damaging noises, e.g. loud music, firearms, and lawnmowers.
2. Reduce the amount of time you’re exposed to loud noises.
3. Wear earplugs or ear muffs in places where you’re exposed to loud noises.
4. Quit that smoking habit for good.
5. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, keep it under control.
6. Limit your use of medications that could cause hearing loss. If you’re concerned that your medications are affecting your hearing,
talk to your doctor about possibly adjusting doses or changing treatment.
 

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE