Are your medications causing hearing loss?
Ototoxic medications & substances explained

In a previous post, we reviewed the signs of hearing loss. Though hearing loss may not be immediately obvious, there are many indicative signs. If you see your loved ones exhibiting signs of hearing loss, you may want to learn more about the condition. There is a wealth of resources online about hearing loss. We recommend the Hearing Loss Association of America and the American Speech Language Hearing Association for resources on signs, consequences of untreated hearing loss, and treatment options. Readying yourself with information will help your conversation with your loved one about hearing loss.  

According to audiologist Renee Monahan in Today’s Geriatric Medicine, age-related hearing loss is undiagnosed and undertreated in the United States. Given the high percentage of Americans age 65 and older that experience hearing loss, “primary care physicians routinely screen only about 12.9% of the total US population for hearing loss.” Dr. Justin Golub, an otolaryngologist at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, says, “It’s a fact of aging that even baby boomers will face hearing loss. Yet, fewer than 1 in 5 people will treat age-related hearing loss. This statistic has not changed in over 40 years.”  

To understand how listening to music frequently and at high volumes can harm your hearing, one must first understand how we actually hear.

First, sounds come in through the ear canal where they are met by delicate and microscopic hair cells that convert sound vibrations into electrical signals. These electrical signals are then sent to our brain for processing, where our brain coverts the signals into meaningful sounds. It’s a pretty impressive system, especially considering the entire process happens in a matter of nanoseconds. Noises at decibels 85 dBA or higher can cause permanent damage to the delicate hair cells that play such an important role in our hearing. Once these hair cells are damaged, they can never be repaired, once they are gone, they are gone.

Combine this damage with the fact that earbuds sit so far into the ear canal and blast these sounds directly into the eardrum, it becomes easier to understand how they can be considered so dangerous.

1. Hearing loss is irreversible.

   Once your inner ear cells are damaged, they do not regenerate. There is no cure for hearing loss, but there are treatments in the form of instruments such as hearing aids.

2. Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common forms.

   Noise-induced hearing loss is caused by exposure to loud sounds over long periods of time. In certain occupations such as construction, factory work, and the music industry, noise-induced hearing loss is prevalent – but it can also occur due to daily exposure to unsafe volumes, such as with headphones or earbuds. The thing is, noise-induced hearing loss is 100% preventable – unlike other forms of hearing loss, such as age-related hearing loss (presbycusis).

3. Earbuds increase the risk of hearing loss.

   Sure, they’re convenient and allow for mobility, but earbuds also heighten the risk of damage to your hearing. They offer almost no noise-cancellation, which means you’re listening to music and media at higher volumes than you would with over-the-ear headphones. Even with noise-canceling earbuds, their position in your ear canals, with close proximity to your ear drums, are comparable in volume to listening to power tools in a coal mine.

4. Unplug

   . If you’re in a noisy environment, whether it’s on a plane or on a subway train, you may have difficulty hearing through your earbuds or headphones – unless they offer noise-cancellation. Rather than cranking up the volume – which compounds the level of damaging decibels – consider unplugging and waiting until you’re in a different environment to listen to your music. In general, it is good to unplug and give your ears a rest.

5. Follow the 60-60 rule.

   Whether you’re listening over speakers or through headphones, hearing specialists recommend following the 60-60 rule: play the volume at 60% for no more than 60 minutes at a time. Again, it is important to give yourself a “noise diet” – take breaks from loud sounds frequently.

6. Use technology to your advantage

   . Most devices have been designed to play at volumes much louder than recommended for hearing health. Apps have been developed to manage volume levels on your devices; consider downloading one, setting safe volume levels, and protect your hearing!

7. Hearing loss is linked with other health problems

   . Individuals who experience hearing loss are at higher risk of developing depression, anxiety, and higher levels of stress. Researchers have recently found a potential link between hearing loss and dementia. The auditory system also controls your balance; individuals with hearing loss are at higher risk for falls and accidents.

8. Consider customized ear protection

   . Volume levels at concerts and music festivals are extremely loud and increase the risk for hearing loss. If you’re a musician, your consistent exposure to high volumes from venue speakers endangers your hearing health. Customized ear plugs are molded to fit your ears, protecting you from dangerous decibel levels, while still enabling you to hear the sounds you want.

9. Take a hearing test

   . A comprehensive and conclusive hearing test is conducted by a hearing specialist. If you live in Florida, we offer free hearing tests at our various Ear to Hear locations. Incorporate an annual hearing test into your health plan.

10. As a generation, our hearing is getting worse.

    For individuals between the ages of 12 and 35, researchers found that 30% are more likely to experience hearing loss than their counterparts in the 1980s and 1990s. The World Health Organization has also found that 1.1 billion teenagers globally are at risk for hearing loss.

If you have a family member with hearing loss:

• Before speaking, grab your family member’s attention first. If they happen to be engaged in a task, touch their shoulder gently to grab their attention. Make sure there is eye contact so that they know you are addressing them. You could also say their name a few times until you get their attention. Keep in mind that with hearing loss – even when it is treated with hearing aids – it may be difficult to differentiate speech noise from background noise. This is especially important when you’re both in a noisy environment.
• Keep in mind that there’s no need to speak louder than normal. You don’t have to raise your voice when talking to your loved one – especially if they have hearing aids. It’s more important to speak clearly – don’t mumble or speak too quickly. Hearing aids are equipped with excellent speech recognition features to capture what you’re saying. It also helps if you take a few pauses while talking, just in case your loved one needs to catch up.
• Above all else, don’t take it personally! If your family member doesn’t respond or responds in a way that doesn’t actually address what you’re saying, chances are they may have misheard or misunderstood what you’ve said. Rather than getting upset, take a moment and just repeat yourself.

If you have a hearing loss:

• The most important thing you can do to improve your familial relationships is to seek treatment for hearing loss. There are many benefits to seeking treatment, from improving your interpersonal relationships to reducing your risk for developing dementia.
• Communicate your needs clearly to your loved ones. If you need them to slow down while speaking or sit on your right side because you can hear better out of that ear, make sure to let them know!
• Wear your hearing aids! If you’ve been treated for hearing loss, make sure you regularly use your hearing aids. While they may be strange at first, over time you’ll find that they are indispensable. Hearing specialists recommend wearing your hearing aids from the time you wake up (after your bathroom routines) to the time you go to bed.

A 2011 study from Japan looked at the hearing abilities and cognitive abilities of participants and found that people who treated their hearing loss with the use of hearing aids performed on the same level in cognitive tests as people with normal hearing. Conversely, people who did not treat their hearing loss performed cognitive tasks with more difficulty. Another 2011 study, from Vanderbilt University, shows that people with mild to severe sensorineural hearing loss had “better word recall and their [visual] reaction times were significantly faster with hearing aids than without.” It may be difficult to first recognize the signs of hearing loss; learn more about the signs here. If you believe you – or a loved one – may be experiencing changes in your hearing, contact us at Ear to Hear at one of our many locations across the country. We provide free comprehensive hearing tests and otoscopic exams.