5 Dangerous Hearing Loss Myths by Monique Hammond
A myth is a “widely held but false belief or idea.” Hearing loss myths all too often become set-ups for ever greater injury.
1) Hearing loss is an “old people’s” problem
This is no longer true. “Young” ears are not immune or resistant to hearing loss. Johns Hopkins Medicine reports that 1 in 5 Americans, age 12 and over, has hearing loss significant enough to interfere with daily communication. Age 12!!! These are school-aged children. Excessively loud music and entertainment noise are consistently blamed for hearing loss and tinnitus cases among the all-too young.
2) Hearing loss is all about aging and genetics
There is a lot more to it. Although aging and genetics make up a big portion of the story of hearing loss, there are many other causes—from earwax plugs to brain tumors. After aging, excessively loud sound is the second leading cause for hearing loss worldwide. Got hearing loss? Get an evaluation from a specialist, the faster the better. Maybe it is aging but maybe it is not! Never simply ignore hearing loss.
3) Ears “become used” to loud sound
Absolutely false! This is probably the most destructive myth when it comes to noise-related damage. Repeated and prolonged exposures to loud sound pile on permanent hearing cell and nerve damage, from the day that we are born to the day that we die. The ears do NOT get used to noise, ever. They only become the deafer to it.
4) Ears recover from sound injury
Not really. As already stated, noise permanently damages the inner ear hearing cells and the hearing nerves. Stuffy, buzzing ears after loud sound exposures are serious warning signs. Given a rest, “stunned” hearing cells may bounce back, which gives a sense of improvement. However, damage is cumulative. Symptoms worsen with every added exposure. Eventually, all sound becomes dull and permanent hearing loss is the new realty.
5) Hearing aids “fix” hearing loss
Once lost, hearing will never be the same. Although tremendously improved technology has helped many beyond their wildest dreams, hearing aids do NOT “fix” damaged hearing. They are “aids” that help make the most of the hearing that is left. This should give us motivation to prevent hearing loss in any way possible.
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For Industry Safety Training on Noise-induced Hearing Loss prevention or for any other presentation, please see details on this site or email [email protected]
To learn about ears and hearing, please see my book on hearing loss: What Did You Say? An Unexpected Journey into the World of Hearing Loss, now in its second updated edition. Sharing my story and what I had to learn the hard way.