As you age, you experience a number of changes in the way your body functions.听力损失might be one of these changes.
衰老造成的听力损失是影响许多老年人的常见状况。几乎1 in 2 adults超过65岁以上的听力损失。
与年龄有关的听力损失也称为长期。尽管与年龄相关的听力损失并不是威胁生命的状况，但如果未经治疗，它可能会对您的生活质量产生重大影响。
Age-related hearing loss occurs gradually over time. Various changes in the inner ear can cause the condition. These include:
- changes in the structures of the inner ear
- changes in blood flow to the ear
- impairment in the nerves responsible for hearing
- 大脑处理语音和声音的方式变化
- damage to the tiny hairs in the ear that are responsible for transmitting sound to the brain
Age-related hearing loss can also be caused by other issues, including:
- diabetes
- 可怜的circulation
- exposure to loud noises
- use of certain medications
- 听力损失的家族史
- smoking
与年龄相关的听力损失的症状通常始于无法听到高音调的声音。您可能会注意到您很难听到女性或儿童的声音。您可能也很难听到背景噪音或听到别人说话的难度。
可能发生的其他症状包括：
- certain sounds seeming overly loud
- difficulty hearing in areas that are noisy
- difficulty hearing the difference between “s” and “th” sounds
- 耳朵响起
- turning up the volume on the television or radio louder than normal
- 要求人们重复自己
- being unable to understand conversations over the telephone
如果您有这些症状，请始终通知您的医生。它们可能是其他医疗状况的迹象，应由医生检查。
如果您患有与年龄有关的听力损失的症状，请参阅医生诊断您的病情。他们将完成全面的身体检查，以排除其他听力损失的原因。他们也可能使用耳镜看一下耳朵内的耳朵。
If your doctor can’t find another cause of your symptoms, they may diagnose you with age-related hearing loss. They may refer you to a hearing specialist called an audiologist. The audiologist can perform ahearing test帮助确定发生了多少听力损失。
There is no cure for age-related hearing loss. If you’re diagnosed with this condition, your doctor will work with you to improve your hearing and quality of life. Your doctor may recommend:
- hearing aids to help you hear better
- assistive devices, such as telephone amplifiers
- lessons in sign language or lip reading (for severe hearing loss)
In some cases, your doctor may recommend a cochlear implant. This is a small electronic device that’s surgically implanted into your ear. Cochlear implants can make sounds somewhat louder, but they don’t restore normal hearing. This option is only used for people who are severely hard of hearing.
与年龄相关的听力损失是一种渐进状态。这意味着随着时间的流逝会变得更糟。如果您失去听证会，那将是永久的。即使随着时间的流逝，听力损失变得越来越严重，但使用辅助设备（例如助听器）可以改善您的生活质量。
与您的医生谈谈您的治疗选择。询问您可以做些什么来最大程度地减少听力损失对日常生活的影响。您可能还需要考虑治疗，以防止这种疾病经常发生的抑郁，焦虑和社会隔离。
You may not be able prevent age-related hearing loss. However, you can take steps to keep it from getting worse. If you experience age-related hearing loss, try these tips:
- Avoid repetitive exposure to loud sounds.
- 在声音响亮的地方穿耳朵保护。
- Control your blood sugar if you have diabetes.
如果您出现与年龄有关的听力损失的症状，请寻求医生的及时帮助。随着听力损失的增加，您更有可能失去理解语音的能力。但是，如果您寻求早期治疗，您可能会保持这种能力，或最小化损失。