Hearing Loss Facts and Statistics

Did you know about 30 million adults aged 12 and older in the United States have hearing loss? This accounts for around 13% of the American population.

And these numbers only speak to people who have sought medical attention for their hearing issues. The physical numbers for hearing loss in the U.S. are much higher if you include people who haven’t seen a doctor about their hearing loss.

Today, we’re looking at some of the leading hearing loss facts and statistics to help you understand just how serious a problem this is and why prevention is essential.

Let’s dive in!

Hearing Loss and the Elderly

There are many hearing loss statistics on the elderly population, and it is a common problem. It affects almost one in three Americans between the ages of 65 and 74. If you want to learn more about hearing loss, visit the website https://www.innocaption.com/recentnews/can-deaf-people-hear-their-thoughts.

Age-related hearing loss is typically a combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss is permanent, caused by damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve. Conductive hearing loss is temporary, caused by blockage of the ear canal or middle ear.

Negative Impact

The negative impact of hearing loss can be significant. Older adults with hearing loss are more likely to experience depression, social isolation, and a decline in mental and cognitive functioning.

The elderly are at increased risk for falls. There are over one in four Americans 65 and older have experienced falls annually.

Hearing loss can also cause safety concerns and accidents. For example, an older person with hearing loss may not be able to hear a smoke alarm or a knocking at the door. Another example is if an aged person crosses the street and fails to hear a car coming, the results could be disastrous.

Hearing loss can cause difficulty in communication, which can impact work and personal relationships. In addition, it can make it difficult for older people to communicate with their doctors or other health care providers, which can lead to grave problems if they have a medical emergency.

Causes of Hearing Loss

The most common cause of hearing loss in the elderly is age-related hearing loss, also known as presbycusis. Roughly two-thirds of Americans who are 70 years or older are affected by presbycusis. This type of hearing loss is gradual and happens over many years.

What causes hearing loss in the elderly includes exposure to loud noise. Loud noise can damage the tiny hair cells in the inner ear responsible for sending sound signals to the brain.

Other causes include certain medications, infections, and underlying health conditions. Some common medications that can cause hearing loss include certain antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, and diuretics. Infections that lead to hearing loss include meningitis, mumps, and measles.

Conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis can all lead to hearing loss. This is because these conditions can damage the blood vessels in the ear, leading to reduced blood flow and hearing loss.

Hearing Loss and Children

The facts about hearing loss according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), approximately 3 in 1,000 American children are born with a noticeable level of hearing loss. 

Many children are born with hearing loss, the most common congenital disorder. It is also the leading cause of disability in children. More than 90 percent of children with hearing loss are born to parents who have no history of deafness.

Symptoms of hearing loss can be mild, moderate, or severe and can occur in one or both ears. It can be temporary or permanent.

Negative Impact

Hearing loss has a profound impact on a child’s development. It can adversely affect their educational achievement, social and communication skills, and overall quality of life.

Children with hearing loss are more likely to have lower grades, score lower on standardized tests, and are more likely to be held back a class. They are also more likely to have social and behavioral problems and are more likely to drop out of school.

Hearing loss can also make it difficult for children to develop communication skills and cause them to miss out on essential sounds in their environment. If left untreated, hearing loss can lead to more problems, such as difficulty in learning to speak, depression, and anxiety.

We can see the negative impact of hearing loss on a child’s development in every aspect of their life. You must get help for children with hearing loss as early as possible to ensure they reach their full potential. Early intervention is essential to minimize the negative impacts of hearing loss in children.

Causes of Hearing Loss

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2019, nearly 6,000 American newborns had permanent hearing loss. There are many causes of hearing loss in children, but the most common cause is genetic.

Also, hearing loss can be caused by trauma to the ear. Auditory trauma can occur for several reasons, including loud noises, accidents, and ear infections. According to the NIDCD, approximately five out of every six children in the United States will have at least one ear infection by the time they are three years old.

Ear infections can occur in the middle ear (the space behind the eardrum), the outer ear (the canal that leads to the eardrum), or both. Infections in the outer part of the ear are sometimes called swimmers’ ears.

Trauma to the ear can occur in accidents. For example, a blow to the head can cause the bones in the ear to shatter, which can damage the eardrum and cause hearing loss.

Additionally, exposure to loud noise can come from many sources, including music, fireworks, and power tools. Hearing loss from auditory trauma is usually temporary, but in some cases, it can be permanent.

Hearing loss can also occur from many causes, including medications and diseases. Some medications can damage delicate hair cells or interfere with normal development in the inner ear, which can lead to hearing loss.

Many different illnesses can cause hearing loss in children. Some of the more common ones include meningitis, mumps, and rubella.

Hearing Loss and Genetics

In the United States, about half of all cases of hearing loss are due to genetics. There are many different genetic syndromes and conditions that can cause hearing loss. 

Some conditions that can cause hearing loss are Waardenburg syndrome, Usher syndrome, Alport syndrome, and Pendred syndrome.

Waardenburg Syndrome

Waardenburg syndrome is an uncommon genetic disorder that can cause hearing loss. It affects about 1 in 40,000 people. People with Waardenburg syndrome often have a white forelock (a band of white hair on the forehead), blue eyes, and a wide-set nose.

They may also have problems with their teeth, skin, and nails. Waardenburg syndrome is caused by a mutation in a gene called PAX3. 

Usher Syndrome

Usher syndrome is a chronic, degenerative disorder that affects hearing and vision. People with this condition are born with both hearing loss and visual impairments. Sometimes, the hearing loss is mild and only gets worse as the person gets older, but in other cases, the hearing loss is severe from birth.

Usher syndrome is the most prevalent type of combined deaf-blindness in the world. Every 100,000 persons globally have three to ten cases of Usher syndrome.

Alport Syndrome

Alport syndrome is a type of hearing loss caused by a genetic mutation. The syndrome is diagnosed in about 1 in 50,000 people worldwide.
The COL4A3 or COL4A4 gene variants cause Alport syndrome.

Pendred Syndrome

Pendred syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder that can cause hearing loss. It is caused by a mutation in the PDS gene.

The PDS gene is responsible for making a protein called pendrin found in the inner ear and helps to transport iodide. Iodide is needed for the proper function of the ear.

People with Pendred syndrome have a mutation in the PDS gene that prevents pendrin from working properly, which can cause hearing loss.

Treatment of Hearing Loss

There are many treatments for hearing loss, depending on the cause and severity. Hearing aids are the most common treatment for hearing loss. They can help to improve hearing and communication.

Other treatments include cochlear implants, which can be helpful for some people with severe hearing loss, and surgery. It is a small, complex device surgically implanted under the skin behind the ear.

According to the NIDCD, approximately 183,100 people in the United States have cochlear implants. Of these, 65,00 are children, and 118,100 are adults.

In addition, assistive listening devices (ALDs) are specialized microphones and sound amplifiers used to improve communication in difficult listening situations. People with hearing loss use it and find it hard to hear in noisy places or when there is a distance between them and the person they are talking to.

Some examples of assistive listening devices include FM systems, induction loop systems, amplified telephones, and TTY/TDD devices.

Pay Attention to These Hearing Loss Facts

Hearing loss is a growing health concern in the United States. It can affect a person’s quality of life, so it’s significant to be aware of the hearing loss facts and statistics surrounding this condition. It can make it hard to communicate with others and cause feelings of isolation.

If you think you might have a problem, get it checked out by a professional. Many options are available to help you hear better. Don’t let hearing loss keep you from enjoying your life to the fullest.

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