| Age-related hearing loss:
Age related hearing loss is called Presbyacousis. For most people with
Presbyacousis it is the high frequency sounds that disappear first.
Speech contains high frequency constant sounds, such
as s, t, k, p and f. The first signs of Presbyacousis may be that it is difficult to
understand some people especially children, women and men with soft
voices.
As you get older the hair cells in your inner ear begin to die. This
will happen to all of us if we live long enough. For reasons that are
still unknown some people lose their hearing ability earlier
and faster than others, even if they are not exposed to noise.
We all begin to lose our sense of hearing
when we are in our 30s and 40s. This almost always starts in the very
high frequency areas above 8,000hz. and as we approach our mid 50's most
every one will have some mild hearing loss in the speech range from 250hz.
to 6,000hz.
One out of five adults and more than three quarters
of all people over the age of 80 suffer from a moderate to severe hearing loss.
More than half of the total hearing-impaired population are of working
age.
As with any medical problem treatment is always
more effective when caught in the early stages. Yet only 20% of the
hearing impaired population have availed themselves to the help that is
available.
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