Hearing loss is an exceedingly common condition, affecting roughly 20% of the global population. A lot of us are likely to experience it at some point in our lives. However, that isn’t to say that it comes out of nowhere. There are certain risk factors that can make you more likely to experience hearing loss than the average. Here, we’re going to look at a few of them.
Exposure to loud noise
It’s not an old wive’s tale by any means. If your ear is exposed to noises that are above 75 decibels (which is roughly the volume of an alarm clock, there is some risk of hearing loss. At that level, the exposure would have to be very sustained for a long period of time. Louder things, such as rock concerts, airplane noises, and even garden equipment like lawnmowers, will have a higher risk of doing damage in less time. For that reason, it’s important to have hearing protection available if you work in loud places or have any loud hobbies.
Age
Simply put, the older you are, the greater the chance that you have experienced some hearing loss. It’s important to get at least one hearing test early in life so that you have a baseline to compare all future tests to. From the age of 45, you should start having hearing tests more regularly, with some recommending them every year. Age-related degeneration of the hair cells in the ears that pick up noise is natural and it is treatable with hearing aids. It’s just a good idea to get yourself checked out early if you do notice any changes in your hearing so that the problem doesn’t exacerbate itself.
Medication
It is true that certain medications can lead to hearing loss. The most common cause, medically speaking, is high blood pressure medication. However, there are others such as antibiotics, NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen), and even aspirin that can have side effects on your hearing. You should be careful about your dosage with these and if you do have to take any on a regular basis, have your hearing checked more regularly as a precaution.
Infection
In some cases, there are also infections that can lead to hearing loss. First of all, any outer ear infection can lead to swelling, which can block off the ear and will naturally reduce hearing. Infections can also lead to poor fluid drainage. The infection and fluid drainage problems are both thought to lead to issues like Meniere’s disease, which is a chronic condition with no cure that can lead to hearing loss, vertigo, and nausea. This condition can be treated but any hearing loss may be permanent, so it’s important to see an audiologist as soon as you suspect any infection to the ear.
Aside from the above risk factors, there is also the risk of physical head injury or of things like an autoimmune ear disease that could lead to hearing loss in some cases. The important thing is to make sure that you are acting quickly on any changes to your hearing.
