Age related hearing loss by Abigail Buendorf

What is Age-Related hearing loss?

abuendor — 2024-09-09 22:46:27 UTC

Who struggles- Age

abuendor — 2024-09-09 22:47:56 UTC

"It is one of the most common conditions affecting adults as we age. Approximately 15% of American adults (37.5 million) ages 18 and over report some trouble hearing, and about one in three people in the U.S. between the ages of 65 and 74 has hearing loss. Nearly half of those older than 75 have difficulty hearing."

Who struggles- Diet

abuendor — 2024-09-09 22:55:14 UTC

This article talks about the importance of healthy diets and how it may reduce the risk of hearing loss as one ages.

Primary causes

abuendor — 2024-09-09 23:02:19 UTC

This article stated that these are the main reasons someone will loose hearing with age-

A family history of hearing loss: Age-related hearing loss can run in families. If some of your family members developed hearing loss as they grew older, chances are you’ll have the condition, as well.
Ototoxicity: This is inner ear damage that may be a side effect of certain medications.
Noise exposure: Research shows people with noise-induced hearing loss often develop more severe age-related hearing loss.

Anatomical structure

abuendor — 2024-09-16 22:54:46 UTC

Sesnsory hearing loss happens when you lose outer hair cells in the organ of Corti at the base of your cochlea.

Anatomical structure

abuendor — 2024-09-16 22:57:24 UTC

Your ability to hear relies in part on nerve cells in your cochlea and the auditory pathway to your brain. You lose nerve cells over time as part of growing older.

Process that causes it

abuendor — 2024-09-16 23:03:37 UTC

Prolonged exposure to damaging loud noises gradually develops hearing loss.

Process that causes it

abuendor — 2024-09-16 23:05:15 UTC

Presbycusis can be caused by changes in the blood supply to the ears or by the side effects of certain medications

Symptom- muffled or slurred noises

abuendor — 2024-09-23 22:29:59 UTC

Many people who develop age related hearing loss start to hear muffled or slurred noises when listening to people talk or watching a video.

Symptom- trouble hearing high-pitched sounds

abuendor — 2024-09-23 22:30:03 UTC

Many who gain age related hearing loss also have trouble hearing high-pitched sounds. An example of this would be a birds chirp, a whistle, or a seashell being harder to hear.

Symptom- trouble understanding conversations

abuendor — 2024-09-23 22:30:08 UTC

Many people developing a hearing loss may get lost within a conversation, have trouble hearing others, or only hearing certain people.

Symptom- Tinnitus

abuendor — 2024-09-23 22:30:11 UTC

Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the ears when there is no external source, such as a ringing, buzzing, or roaring. It is often caused by age related hearing loss and can be a big sign of it.

Diagnosis- Audiogram

abuendor — 2024-09-23 22:30:21 UTC

An audiologist can play sounds through headphones to each ear to determine if you can hear certain tones. The results are shown on a chart that measures your hearing against normal ranges.

Diagnosis- Physical exam

abuendor — 2024-09-23 22:30:25 UTC

An otolaryngologist (ENT) or other healthcare provider can use an otoscope to examine the ear canal and eardrum for damage, infections, or earwax buildup.

Treatment- Hearing Aids

abuendor — 2024-09-23 22:30:34 UTC

Hearing aids can make sounds louder and clearer, and are often recommended for permanent hearing loss.

Treatment- Cochlear implants

abuendor — 2024-09-23 22:30:37 UTC

For those who have a more severe hearing loss they may use a cochlear implants. Cochlear implants, bone-anchored hearing aids, and middle ear implants are options for people who need more powerful hearing assistance than hearing aids can provide.

Social Isolation

abuendor — 2024-09-30 22:53:52 UTC

While some shrinking of your social circle may occur naturally with age, it’s more pronounced for older people with hearing impairments, according to research. A lack of face-to-face contact can make both social isolation and loneliness worse for people with hearing loss.

Cognitive decline

abuendor — 2024-09-30 22:54:43 UTC

Most people have a cognitive decline when faced with hearing loss. Research suggests hearing loss leads to an increased risk of dementia and cognitive decline, due to reduced social interaction and stimulation.

Depression

abuendor — 2024-09-30 22:56:02 UTC

Depression is a consequence of age related hearing loss because hearing loss may limit your social engagement and lead to depression: You avoid simple duties. You find yourself avoiding social situations. You feel alone even with family and friends.

Safety Risk

abuendor — 2024-09-30 23:00:26 UTC

There can be many safety risks in age-related hearing loss. Older people can have trouble understanding a doctor’s advice, responding to warnings, and hearing doorbells and alarms. Also, some older people may not want to admit they have trouble hearing and, if ignored, can worsen.

Cochlear Implants

abuendor — 2024-10-07 22:54:36 UTC

The total costs of cochlear implants, including the devices, surgery and rehabilitation, range from 50,000 to 100,000.

However most is covered by insurance

Hearing aids

abuendor — 2024-10-07 22:59:35 UTC

The average price of one hearing aid can vary between $1,000 and $3,500

Insurance companies do not typically cover hearing aids but often offer deals

Auditory Rehabilitation Therapy

abuendor — 2024-10-07 23:10:29 UTC

Sound Relief Tinnitus & Hearing offers 24 months of tinnitus retraining therapy for $3,080. The cost of it can vary.

The coverage of Auditory Rehabilitation Therapy by insurance can vary widely depending on several factors, including the specific insurance plan, the provider, and the region

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)

abuendor — 2024-10-21 22:46:45 UTC

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors that contribute to mental health problems.

Long term effects of this therapy is developing coping strategies for dealing with challenges like social isolation and frustration. This can help feelings of being more comfortable. Short term effects may just be feeling more comfortable in your body during therapy. Many people with hearing loss feel insecurities that this therapy can help prevent.

counselor, psychologists, mental health social workers and therapists can all provide CBT

Support Groups

abuendor — 2024-10-21 22:55:18 UTC

Participating in support groups allows individuals with hearing loss to connect with others facing similar challenges. Counseling can help address emotional and psychological aspects, such as feelings of isolation or frustration. These groups provide a safe space to share experiences and learn coping strategies.

The long term effect is that it helps coping with change with hearing loss. individuals may face ongoing adjustments. Support groups provide a platform for sharing experiences and strategies for adapting to changes over time.

A short term effect is that it offers emotional support and coping strategies, helping individuals process their feelings.

Delivering support groups for individuals with hearing loss typically involves professionals with expertise in audiology, counseling, or social work.

Speech Therapy

abuendor — 2024-10-28 22:41:44 UTC

Speech therapy can help someone with hearing loss improve their communication skills through a variety of techniques such as auditory-verbal therapy, auditory-oral or auditory-based speech therapy, and total communication therapy. Speech Therapy was designed to treat people with hearing impairments and a speech language pathologist would be necessary to deliver the treatment.

Balance training

abuendor — 2024-11-04 22:46:16 UTC

Age related hearing loss does not directly impair body movement, its effect on balance and cognition leads to increased risk of falls and reduced physical activity.

One treatment for this is balance training. These programs target stability and fall prevention and help focus on strengthening muscle and enhancing coordination. This is important to help lower the chances of danger with balance.

Specifically balance training would be performed by both physical and occupational therapist, however an audiologist may also help with different training to go along with hearing loss and some can help with balance issues.

Hearing Aids

abuendor — 2024-11-19 02:01:32 UTC

Hearing aids amplify sounds to make communication easier. Adopting them often requires an adjustment period to get used to the amplified sounds and manage the device. The difficulty level would be 6/10 (due to potential stigma, cost, and learning curve). An Audiologist or hearing specialist would be needed for fitting, training, and follow-up.

Communication strategies

abuendor — 2024-11-19 02:02:23 UTC

This includes patients asking others to speak more clearly, reduce background noise, or use visual cues like lip-reading to aid understanding. The difficulty level is 4/10 (may require consistent reminders but is relatively easy to implement). A Speech-language pathologist or audiologist would be needed for communication techniques and strategies.

Hearing Screening

abuendor — 2024-11-25 22:40:50 UTC

Description: Regular hearing screening programs at primary care clinics aim to detect hearing loss early, ensuring timely intervention. These programs target individuals by identifying those at risk or already experiencing hearing impairment.
Challenges: Challenges include lack of awareness among older adults about the importance of screenings, limited access to audiologists, and the costs of screening programs.

Hearing aids

abuendor — 2024-11-25 22:42:28 UTC

Description: Programs that provide affordable or free hearing aids and assistive listening devices address the financial barriers many older adults face. This intervention targets individuals by directly providing them with solutions to improve hearing.
Challenges: High cost of hearing aid production, stigma associated with wearing hearing aids, and administrative hurdles in distributing devices equitably.

Noise control in public spaces

abuendor — 2024-11-25 22:43:35 UTC

Description: Policy interventions that regulate noise levels in environments frequented by older adults, such as senior centers or healthcare facilities, help prevent further damage to hearing. These focus on environmental and policy-level changes.
Challenges: Resistance from businesses due to perceived costs of compliance, difficulty enforcing noise-level standards, and lack of public understanding of the impact of noise on hearing health.

Education campaigns

abuendor — 2024-11-25 22:44:09 UTC

Description: Public health campaigns educate older adults and caregivers about the risks of untreated hearing loss, preventive measures, and the importance of seeking timely care. These interventions focus on individuals and the environment by increasing awareness and fostering supportive communities.
Challenges: Limited funding for large-scale campaigns, difficulty in reaching older adults in isolated or underserved communities, and overcoming cultural attitudes that normalize hearing loss as a part of aging.