Hearing Loss Rates Rising in Younger Generations

New studies indicate that the demographics of hearing loss may be shifting and hearing impairment, especially in younger people, is escaping detection. Hearing loss affects 40 million Americans, and it is a disability broadly associated with either age-related hearing loss in older populations or job-related hearing loss from noisy work environments. While these factors do contribute significantly to cases of hearing loss, hearing problems are also arising under far different conditions. As our everyday world gets noisier, signs point to prioritizing hearing exams and preventative education for younger people.

Hearing Loss Is Happening Younger

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at measured hearing performance in subjects who self-reported “good to excellent hearing”. They found that, across all ages, one in four of these subjects actually had measurable hearing loss. For young adults, aged 20-29, who reported having “good or excellent” hearing, just under 20% were affected by hearing loss.

This statistic, the discrepancy between actual hearing loss and a person’s perception of good hearing, points to how difficult it can be to catch hearing loss early. On average, it takes a person seven years to seek treatment for hearing loss. In a study released in the JAMA Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery journal, hearing loss in Americans is projected to jump from 40 million to 73.5 million over the next four decades, with rates of impairment drastically increasing in adolescent and young adult populations.

Additionally, a recent study of Brazilian youth highlights the prevalence of tinnitus, a ringing in the ears, among young people. Over half the young people surveyed reported some short-term incidents of tinnitus in the past year, with nearly 15 percent citing it as a reoccurring problem. Chronic tinnitus often accompanies permanent hearing damage and can be a signal of hearing loss.

Everyday Noise Exposure Is Getting Worse

Hearing damage is also occurring more frequently outside the noise hazard of a loud workplace. In the CDC’s findings, 20 percent of people who reported no job-related noise exposure demonstrated the signs of noise-related hearing loss. When looking at the total population of subjects with noise-related hearing problems, the CDC found over fifty percent did not have exposure to loud noise at their job.

However, even people who don’t face regular workplace exposure to loud sound can be exposed to damaging noise regularly at home or at leisure. Loud sporting events, concerts, even lawn work, street noise or loud movies and video games can contribute to hearing damage. Researchers are also giving special attention to the harmful way young people listen to their personal devices through earbuds and headphones.

The World Health Organization found that over 50 percent of young people aged 15-35 listen to music from personal audio devices at unsafe volumes. Sound levels of 100 decibels (dB) or greater have become normalized as music volume levels, while posing a significant threat to hearing. The sensitive structure of our inner ear starts to show damage after just 14 minutes of exposure to noise levels over 100 dB, and any sound over 85 dB holds the potential to affect our hearing ability. Noise-related hearing loss is marked by a distinct loss of perception for high frequency tones and leads to the inability to distinguish speech from background noise.

A Lasting Impact

As cases of hearing impairment are skewing younger, new approaches to education, prevention, detection and treatment may be in order. The majority of hearing damage is irreversible and as it manifests in younger people the potential for early hearing loss to compound and worsen with time and aging is likely.

The CDC advocates for hearing loss education and regular hearing exams to become a more common part of medical examinations and primary care visits. Raising awareness about the damaging potential of loud noise is essential to prevention, as is distributing information about the common signs and indicators of hearing loss. Similarly, regular hearing exams can help detect and control existing hearing loss before it becomes problematic.

We’re Here for You

If you think the young people in your life are showing signs of hearing loss, set up an appointment with our hearing specialists at Desert Valley Audiology. We provide hearing health care to children and teens, and we’re happy to assist young people on the path to healthy hearing.

 

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