posted by hot news on Aug 30
If you are like most people, you probably know someone older than 70. There is a very good chance that person is losing his or her hearing. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders estimates about one third of people 65 to 75 have some degree of age-related hearing loss. By 70, nearly half are affected. Age-related hearing loss is the gradual loss of hearing associated with aging.
A classic sign of age-related hearing loss is the inability to make out words as people are talking. This problem is most noticeable in large or noisy rooms. High-pitched sounds are usually more difficult to hear than low-pitched sounds. The inability to hear clearly can have a great impact on the quality of life often leading to withdrawal from family or friends or public locations.
An important risk factor for age-associated hearing loss is exposure to excessively loud noise. High levels of noise can damage the hair cells in the cochlea and impair the transmission of sounds into nerve signals. Excessive noise can cause hearing loss in young people, as well. Other factors that may contribute to hearing loss in older people are: blockages in the ear canal, abnormal bone growth in the middle ear, circulation problems, trauma and use of certain medications.
Recently, researchers have bred a mouse with the genetically altered GRM7 variant to understand more fully how the gene contributes to hair cell loss. Researchers hope people can be tested for the gene variant at a younger age and then given medications to reduce or prevent some of the hair cell damage.
If you or someone you love is showing signs of hearing loss, contact Dr. Jude Liptak at Colonial Center for Hearing. Dr. Liptak provides hearing aids in Williamsburg, Yorktown and Newport News Virginia.