In the United States, hearing loss is a chronic condition that affects one third of people over the age of 60, and one in six baby boomers. Hearing loss is not only for the older generations, however. It is estimated that 20% of today’s teenagers have some degree of hearing loss, as well as one in 14 young adults between the ages of 29-40.
Over 360 million people have a hearing loss disability that affects their lives in a meaningful way, such as interfering with everyday communication and hampering desire to socialize as normal. Unfortunately, many people with hearing loss fail to intervene and seek treatment.
A few surprising things you may not know about hearing loss:
- 50 million people in America experience ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- WHO stated that there are over 32 million children younger than 15 with hearing loss
- Noise is the number one cause of hearing loss
- More than 30 million people in the US are exposed to dangerous levels of noise daily.
- Out of the millions of Americans who could benefit from hearing aids, only 20% wear them.
- More than 30% of people over age 65 suffer from hearing loss—this totals more than 165 million people worldwide.
- 38 million Americans (about 12 percent) have substantial hearing loss
- Once they notice it, people who suffer from hearing loss often wait—an average of 7 years—before seeking treatment or help.
- Untreated hearing loss increases the risk of developing dementia.
Knowing all of these facts, does this encourage you to seek help for hearing loss if you haven’t already?
Take action today to stop hearing loss in its tracks: come in for a hearing assessment so you can know exactly where you stand, and commit to regular annual hearing screenings so you can catch hearing loss as soon as possible and take steps to stop it.
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The information provided in this article is not meant to be medical advice and is for educational purposes only. If you would like to learn more about this and other topics related to audiology, feel free to contact Los Gatos Audiology, with a convenient hearing center located in Los Gatos, CA, by clicking here or by calling 408.703.0772.