What Causes Hearing Loss in Elderly Adults?

As we age, we can lose our hearing, which can even result in deafness in old age. But what causes deafness in old age? In this post, we’ll review what you need to know about hearing loss in elderly. Topics will include:

• The age when hearing loss starts
• Types of hearing loss in older adults
• Symptoms of hearing loss in seniors
• What causes hearing loss in elderly
• How to prevent hearing loss in elderly

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What Age Does Hearing Loss Start?

About 15% of U.S. adults, or roughly 37.5 million people, report some degree of hearing difficulty. The condition becomes more common with age, affecting about one in three adults between 65 and 74 and nearly half of those over 75. 

Next, let’s review types of hearing loss, including sudden deafness due to old age.

What Are Types of Hearing Loss Resulting From Old Age?

Types of hearing loss include:

• Age-related hearing loss. Also called presbycusis, it develops gradually due to changes in the inner ear and auditory nerve, often affecting both ears and making speech harder to understand.
• Sudden hearing loss. Rapid, unexplained sudden deafness in elderly can occur all at once or over a few days and should be treated as a medical emergency.
• Tinnitus. This condition involves ringing or other noises in the ears and may be linked to hearing loss, underlying health issues, or certain medications.

Now that we know more about hearing loss and deafness in elderly, let’s review the symptoms.

What Are the Symptoms of Senior Hearing Loss?

When it comes to hearing loss and the elderly, a variety of symptoms can occur. They include:

• Trouble understanding conversations, especially in noisy environments.
• Speech sounding muffled, mumbled, or slurred
• High-pitched sounds being harder to hear, such as alarms or certain voices.
• Lower-pitched voices, like men’s voices, being easier to hear than higher-pitched voices
• Some sounds seeming unusually loud or irritating
• Ringing or buzzing sounds in one or both ears

Next, let’s take a look at the causes of hearing loss in older adults.

What Causes Hearing Loss In Old Age?

Some causes of hearing loss in older adults include:

• Loud noise exposure. Loud sounds from lawn mowers, snow blowers, or loud music can damage the inner ear and lead to permanent hearing loss.
• Earwax or fluid buildup. Earwax or fluid can block sound from reaching the inner ear, leading to temporary hearing loss. A doctor may recommend mild treatments to soften or remove the blockage if needed.
• Ruptured eardrum. A ruptured eardrum can cause hearing loss and may result from infection, pressure changes, or inserting objects such as cotton swabs into the ear. Medical attention is important if there is pain or fluid drainage.
• Health conditions. Conditions common in older adults, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, can contribute to hearing loss. Infections, stroke, heart disease, brain injury, or tumors may also affect hearing.
• Medications. Some medications can damage the inner ear and sometimes cause permanent hearing loss. These may include certain antibiotics, cancer treatments, heart medications, and even high doses of aspirin.
• Genetic factors. Genetic variations can lead to hearing loss that may appear later in life. One example is otosclerosis, a hereditary condition in which abnormal bone growth interferes with how the ear structures function.

In the final section, we’ll review how to prevent hearing loss in old age.

What Can You Do To Prevent Hearing Loss In Seniors?

To prevent hearing loss, older adults should:

• Stay away from loud noises and reduce overall exposure to harmful noise whenever possible
• Wear earplugs or special fluid-filled earmuffs to help prevent further hearing damage in noisy environments
• Keep the volume of earbuds and headsets at a safe, moderate level to protect hearing over time
• Stop smoking, as it can contribute to circulation problems that affect hearing health
• Get timely medical care for health problems such as ear infections to prevent future complications that may impact hearing