Frequently Asked Questions 

1. How common is hearing loss?

Twenty-eight million Americans are affected by hearing loss or deafness. Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting older adults. Roughly one-third of Americans over 60 and 40 to 50 percent of those 75 and older have hearing loss.

2. What types of hearing loss are most common in older adults?

Presbycusis and tinnitus are two of the most common types of hearing loss in older adults. Presbycusis comes on gradually as a person ages and mostly affects people over 50. Doctors do not know why presbycusis happens, but it seems to run in families.

Having presbycusis may make it hard for a person to tolerate loud sounds or to hear what others are saying. This type of hearing loss sometimes involves damage to the inner ear, which is permanent.

Tinnitus, also common in older people, is the ringing, hissing, or roaring sound in the ears frequently caused by exposure to loud noise or certain medicines. Tinnitus can accompany any type of hearing loss, but it can be a sign of other important health problems, too, such as allergies and problems in the heart and blood vessels. Tinnitus can come and go, or it can stop altogether.

3. What impact can hearing loss have on an older person's life?

People with hearing loss have trouble fully participating in everyday life. They may mistake words in a conversation, miss directions or warnings, or leave a ringing doorbell unanswered. Older people who can't hear well may become depressed or withdraw from others to avoid feeling frustrated or embarrassed about not understanding what is being said.

They may become suspicious of relatives or friends who they believe "mumble" or "don't speak up" on purpose. Hearing loss can cause older people to become more isolated and can even put them in harm's way if they are unable to respond to warnings or hear sounds of impending danger.

It is easy to mistakenly call older people confused, unresponsive, or uncooperative just because they don't hear well.

4. Can certain medications cause hearing loss?

Hearing loss can result from taking certain medications. "Ototoxic" medicines damage the inner ear, sometimes permanently. Some antibiotics are ototoxic. Even aspirin can cause problems, but only temporarily. Check with your doctor if you notice a problem while taking a medication.

5. Is hearing loss hereditary?

Some forms of hearing loss can be inherited. Not all inherited forms of hearing loss take place at birth, however. Some forms can show up later in life. In otosclerosis, which is thought to be a hereditary disease, an abnormal growth of bone prevents structures within the ear from working properly.

6. What role does noise play in hearing loss?

One of the most common causes of hearing loss is noise. Loud noise can permanently damage the inner ear. Loud noise also contributes to presbycusis and tinnitus, which is a ringing, buzzing, or roaring sound in the ears.

7. What other factors play a role in hearing loss?

Another cause of hearing loss is the ear infection otitis media, which can lead to long-term hearing loss if it is not treated. A severe blow to the head also can cause hearing loss.

8. What can I do to protect my hearing from loud noise?

Noise-induced hearing loss is 100 percent preventable. You can protect your hearing by paying attention to noises above 90 decibels in loudness, which can damage your ears. These include lawnmowers, snowblowers, motorcycles, firecrackers, and loud music.

Lower the volume on portable stereos and televisions. When you are involved in a loud activity, wear earplugs or other hearing protective devices. Be sure to protect children as well. Also, steer clear of loud noises that are too close or that last too long.

9. How can I prevent infections that cause hearing loss?

Washing your hands frequently can help prevent an ear infection called otitis media that can cause long-term hearing loss. Also, get a flu shot every year to stave off respiratory infections. If you still get an ear infection, see a doctor immediately before it becomes more serious.

10. What should I do if my medication is causing me to have hearing problems?

If you take medication, ask your doctor if your medicine is ototoxic, or damaging to the ear. Ask if other drugs can be used instead. If not, ask if the dose can be safely reduced. Sometimes it cannot. However your doctor will help you get the medicine you need while trying to reduce unwanted side effects.

11. If earwax is causing me to have a problem hearing, what can I do?

If earwax blockage is a problem for you, ear, nose, and throat doctors recommend using mild treatments such as mineral oil, baby oil, glycerin, or commercial ear drops to soften earwax. If you suspect that you may have a hole in your eardrum, however, you should consult a doctor before using such products.

12. If I already have a hearing loss, can I get my hearing back?

If the hearing loss is conductive, such as earwax blockage, hearing can usually be restored. If the hearing loss is sensor neural, parts of the inner ear or auditory nerve are damaged. Hearing loss of this type is permanent.

The effects of noise-induced hearing loss may be temporary or permanent, depending on the intensity and duration of the exposure. Ototoxic drugs are medicines that damage the inner ear. Sometimes the damage lasts only as long as you take the drug; other times it is permanent.

Even if you have lost some hearing, it is important to protect the hearing that remains. Unfortunately, a person who has experienced hearing loss might work in a woodshop or other noisy place without hearing protection. This action can lead to further damage to the inner ear.

13. How do I know if I might have a hearing loss?

Ask yourself the following questions. If you answer "yes" to three or more of these questions, you could have a hearing problem and may need to have your hearing checked by a doctor.

• Do I have a problem hearing on the telephone?

• Do I have trouble hearing when there is noise in the background?

• Is it hard for me to follow a conversation when two or more people talk at once?

• Do I have to strain to understand a conversation?

• Do many people I talk to seem to mumble or not speak clearly?

• Do I misunderstand what others are saying and respond inappropriately?

• Do I often ask people to repeat themselves?

• Do I have trouble understanding the speech of women and children?

• Do people complain that I turn the TV volume up too high?

• Do I hear a ringing, roaring, or hissing sound a lot?

• Do some sounds seem too loud?

14. What do I do if I think I have a hearing loss?

If you think that you have a hearing problem, schedule an appointment with your family doctor. In some cases, he or she can identify the problem and prescribe treatment.

Your doctor may refer you to an otolaryngologist. This doctor and surgeon have special training in problems of the ear, nose, throat, head, and neck.

An otolaryngologist will try to find out why you have a hearing loss and offer treatment options. He or she will ask you for your medical history, ask if other family members have hearing problems, do a thorough exam, and prescribe any needed tests.

Your doctor may also recommend that you visit an audiologist. An audiologist is a health professional who can identify and measure hearing loss.

The audiologist will use a device called an audiometer to test your ability to hear sounds of different pitch and loudness. The tests are painless. Audiologists do not prescribe drugs or perform surgery. If you need a hearing aid, an audiologist can help you choose the right one.

15. What options do I have for treating a hearing loss?

Your doctor can recommend strategies to help reduce the effects of a hearing loss. There are a number of treatments available, including hearing aids and other devices that can help you hear better.

16. How can a hearing aid help me hear better?

A hearing aid is an electronic, battery-operated device that makes sounds louder to the wearer. Hearing aids come in many shapes, sizes, and styles. Some hearing aids fit inside the outer ear or the ear canal, while others fit behind the ear.

People with extreme hearing loss may wear a body aid -- a larger hearing aid attached to a belt or worn in a pocket and connected by a wire to the ear. Unfortunately, only 20 percent of people who could benefit from a hearing aid actually wear one.

17. What other devices are available to treat a hearing loss?

Other devices also can help you hear in certain listening environments. TV listening systems help you listen to the television or the radio without being bothered by other noises around you. Some hearing aids can be plugged into TVs, stereos, microphones, and personal FM systems to help you hear better.

Some telephones work with certain hearing aids to make sounds louder and remove background noise. And some auditoriums, movie theaters, and other public places are equipped with special sound systems that send sounds directly to your ears.

Alerts such as doorbells, smoke detectors, and alarm clocks can give you a signal that you can see or a vibration that you can feel. For example, a flashing light can let you know someone is at the door or on the phone.

18. What is a cochlear implant and how do I know if I need one?

If your hearing loss is severe and of a certain type, your doctor may suggest that you talk to a surgeon who specializes in ear, nose, and throat diseases, called an otolaryngologist, about a cochlear implant.

A cochlear implant is a small electronic device that the surgeon places under the skin and behind the ear. The device picks up sounds, changes them to electrical signals, and sends them past the non-working part of the inner ear and on to the brain.

19. What research is being done to help treat and prevent hearing loss?

Researchers are studying the causes of hearing loss as well as new treatments. For example, they are studying ways to improve hearing aids so that wearers can hear sounds more clearly with little background noise.

They are also studying how to improve cochlear implants to enhance a person's ability to understand sounds. And they are discovering how fluids change in the inner ear as a person gets older, which may affect overall hearing ability.