What Is Hearing Loss?
Hearing loss is the partial or complete reduction in the ability to hear in one or both ears. It ranges from mild, missing parts of quiet conversations, to profound, where even amplified sound is difficult to detect.
It is one of the most common health conditions in the United States. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, approximately 15% of American adults report some degree of hearing loss, making it more prevalent than diabetes or cancer.
Hearing loss affects people of all ages, but the risk increases significantly with age. An estimated one in three adults over 65 and half of all adults over 75 experience hearing loss. It is also the third most common chronic physical condition in the U.S.
Despite how common it is, the average person waits seven years after first noticing hearing difficulties before seeking help. That delay matters. Untreated hearing loss can worsen over time and has been linked to significant health consequences beyond just communication.
Signs and Symptoms of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss usually develops gradually, which is part of why it often goes unnoticed for years. Many people adjust, turning up the TV, leaning in to hear, nodding along in conversations, without realizing the effort they are putting in.
Common warning signs include:
- Difficulty understanding speech, especially in noisy environments
- Frequently asking others to repeat themselves
- Turning up the volume on the TV or phone higher than others prefer
- Missing parts of words or entire sentences
- Trouble hearing on the phone
- Difficulty following conversations when multiple people are talking
- Ringing, buzzing, or hissing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Withdrawing from social situations you previously enjoyed
- Feeling exhausted after conversations: a sign your brain is working overtime to fill in what you are missing
High-frequency hearing loss is the most common form and often affects the ability to hear women’s and children’s voices, consonant sounds like “s,” “f,” and “th,” and birds chirping. Many people describe it as being able to hear that someone is talking, but not being able to make out the words clearly.
What causes hearing loss?
Hearing loss has many causes. Identifying the likely cause helps our audiologists determine the best course of treatment for you.
Age-Related Hearing Loss (Presbycusis)
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)
Ototoxic Medications
Over 200 medications are known to be ototoxic, meaning they can damage hearing as a side effect. These include certain antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, diuretics, and high or prolonged doses of aspirin or NSAIDs. If you are taking any of these medications and notice changes in your hearing, contact us promptly.
Ear Infections and Disease
Genetics
Sudden Hearing Loss
A sudden loss of 30 decibels or more within 72 hours is a medical emergency known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL). If you or someone you know experiences an unexplained rapid loss of hearing, seek medical attention immediately. Early treatment significantly improves outcomes.
Medical Conditions
Several systemic health conditions are directly linked to hearing loss, including:
- Diabetes: People with diabetes are twice as likely to experience hearing loss due to impaired blood flow to the inner ear.
- Cardiovascular disease: Restricted circulation affects the sensitive structures of the inner ear.
- High blood pressure: Elevated pressure can damage blood vessels throughout the auditory system.
- Autoimmune disorders: Conditions like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis can cause inflammation that affects hearing.
Degrees of Hearing Loss: How Severe Is Yours?
Hearing loss is measured in decibels (dB) and classified into degrees of severity. Knowing your degree of hearing loss helps your audiologist recommend the most appropriate treatment.
| Degree | Range (dB) | What You Experience | Typical Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mild | 26–40 dB | Missing soft speech; difficulty in noisy settings | Hearing aids often beneficial |
| Moderate | 41–55 dB | Conversational speech difficult at normal volume | Hearing aids recommended |
| Mod. Severe | 56–70 dB | Louder speech needed; groups very challenging | Hearing aids strongly recommended |
| Severe | 71–90 dB | Normal speech is inaudible without amplification | Hearing aids or cochlear implants |
| Profound | 91+ dB | Very little to no hearing at all | Cochlear implants typically recommended |
Only a comprehensive hearing evaluation can accurately determine your degree of hearing loss. Our audiologists use advanced diagnostic equipment to give you a precise picture of your hearing health.
How Untreated Hearing Loss Affects Your Overall Health
Hearing loss is not just a communication problem. Research consistently shows that leaving it untreated can have far-reaching effects on your physical, cognitive, and emotional health, effects that go well beyond missing parts of a conversation.
Cognitive Decline and Dementia
Groundbreaking research from Johns Hopkins University found that people with mild hearing loss are twice as likely to develop dementia as those with normal hearing. Those with moderate loss are three times as likely, and those with severe loss are five times as likely. Researchers believe the link involves both the additional cognitive load the brain carries when straining to hear, and the social withdrawal that often accompanies untreated hearing loss.
Depression and Social Isolation
When conversations become difficult, many people with hearing loss begin to withdraw from social activities: dinner parties, family gatherings, church, community events. This isolation is a well-documented driver of depression and anxiety. Studies show that people who treat their hearing loss report significant improvements in emotional wellbeing and social engagement.
Increased Risk of Falls
People with hearing loss are three times more likely to have a history of falling than those with normal hearing. Researchers believe this is partly because the brain devotes extra resources to processing sound, leaving less available for maintaining balance and spatial awareness. Treating hearing loss has been shown to reduce fall risk.
Cardiovascular Health
Your inner ear is extremely sensitive to blood flow. Poor cardiovascular health, including high blood pressure, blocked arteries, or heart disease, is often detected early as hearing changes. In some cases, unexplained hearing loss can be a warning sign of an underlying cardiovascular problem.
Listening Fatigue
Straining to hear all day is mentally exhausting. People with untreated hearing loss often report feeling unusually tired after social situations. This listening fatigue can reduce productivity, patience, and overall quality of life. Many patients describe their hearing aids as giving them their energy back.
The bottom line: treating hearing loss is not just about hearing better. It is about protecting your brain, your relationships, your safety, and your quality of life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hearing Loss
How can I tell if I have hearing loss?
Hearing loss is often so gradual that you may not notice it at first. As your hearing loss increases, you may compensate by turning up the volume or asking people to repeat themselves. It’s common to deny the problem initially, then blame others for mumbling or keeping the TV volume too low.
Is it worth the trouble to improve my hearing?
Better hearing will improve your life, especially your relationships with friends, family and coworkers. Hearing loss can be frustrating for you and lead to social withdrawal and depression. It can drive your family nuts when they constantly have to repeat themselves or leave the room because the TV is too loud. The best solution is to deal with hearing loss rather than act as if it isn’t a problem. It’s not too much trouble either.
Does it matter if I put off getting hearing aids?
Hearing loss gets worse over time. Researchers even have a name for this: “auditory deprivation.” The longer you ignore your hearing loss, the more hearing you’ll lose that can never be recovered. Hearing aids can help, but only if you have enough hearing left to be saved. And the longer you live with hearing loss, the harder it is to adjust to using hearing aids.
If I can’t hear clearly, why not just turn up the volume?
Turning up the volume on your TV or asking others to speak louder might help you hear better for the moment. But don’t expect to have the best relationships. When people know they’ll constantly have to repeat themselves, they tend to save themselves the trouble by avoiding you. And not getting a hearing aid if you need one could actually make your hearing worse!
Hearing Aids
Do hearing aids work? My dad’s never did.
Hearing aids work for almost everyone, especially if you use the right technology with the right settings. The key is to work with your hearing specialist to find the right hearing aid, programmed for your specific hearing loss. Fitted and adjusted to your lifestyle, your hearing aids will almost certainly help you hear better.
Are there any hearing aids that aren’t ugly?
It’s true that older models were large, and there were few options. But today, the newest models are sleek and small, with some types that fit completely inside the ear canal, making them nearly invisible.
Will hearing aids make me look, and feel, old?
First, hearing loss affects people of all ages. Second, hearing clearly and participating in conversations with confidence can help you stay young and vibrant. What will make you seem old: constantly asking people to repeat themselves, missing parts of the conversation and responding inappropriately! Sound stimulates your brain and your ears to keep them in good working order.
Are hearing aids expensive?
It’s all about value! Hearing clearly is part of staying healthy, happy and active. How much is that worth to you? The board-certified audiologists at Aspire Hearing will recommend the hearing aid options that best match your hearing needs, your lifestyle and your budget.
Can I save money by getting just one hearing aid?
If you have hearing loss in both ears, you need two hearing aids to hear sound clearly, locate the source of sounds and maintain your balance.