10 Facts About Hearing Loss You Didn’t Know

How well do you know the facts about hearing loss?

We’ve observed that our patients are nearly always surprised to learn about hearing loss, about how prevalent it is and how it impacts all age groups. They’re also very surprised to learn how hearing loss can affect all areas of health.

As hearing professionals, that means we have a great deal of work to do. Undoubtedly, the understanding of hearing loss does not match the truth, and we have to work to raise awareness.

To that end, we’ve organized ten facts that exhibit how serious and prevalent hearing loss is, but that the majority of people are not aware of.

Here they are:

1. 360 million people globally have hearing loss – according to the World Health Organization, more than 5 percent of the world’s population (360 million) have disabling hearing loss.
2. 48 million people in the United States have hearing loss – that’s 20 percent of all Americans, or one out of every five, that experience some measure of hearing loss.
3. 1 in 5 teenagers has hearing loss – hearing loss in teens is increasing with the increased use of earbuds, among other factors. Hearing loss does not discriminate by age group.
4. 65 percent of individuals with hearing loss are under age 65 – the idea that hearing loss only impacts older people is one of the most commonplace and inaccurate myths about hearing loss.
5. 60 percent of veterans return home with hearing loss and tinnitus – hearing issues are the most commonly documented injury by veterans. Hearing loss is also one of the most widespread work-related injuries, affecting approximately 22 million workers in the US.
6. Hearing loss can trigger cognitive decline – several studies out of Johns Hopkins University have confirmed links between hearing loss and cognitive decline, weakened memory, and even a higher risk of developing dementia.
7. Hearing loss raises the risk of falls – a recent study revealed that individuals with mild hearing loss were three times more likely to have a history of falling compared to those with normal hearing. And the likelihood of falling increase as hearing loss becomes more severe.
8. Hearing loss occurs in 90 percent of tinnitus cases – most cases of tinnitus are accompanied by hearing loss, which means both conditions can potentially be remedied with hearing aids.
9. Hearing loss can impact earnings – In a survey conducted by the Better Hearing Institute, hearing loss was shown to negatively impact household income up to an average of $12,000 per year depending on the level of hearing loss.
10. 28.8 million US adults could benefit from hearing aids – in spite of the fact that hearing aids could help millions of Americans, fewer than one in three actually make use of them. This even with all of the technological advancements.

Help us increase awareness about the facts of hearing loss by sharing this blog post. You might end up encouraging someone to enhance their life with better hearing.