Hearing loss is a natural consequence of aging due to environmental impacts over a person\u2019s lifetime. Additionally, cell degeneration can cause different functions in the body to start to break down, including the delicate parts of the ear that are necessary for hearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As hearing starts to decrease, it\u2019s time to visit a doctor for assistance. The good news is that modern technology makes it easier than ever to correct these hearing issues so you can continue living a full, thriving lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n
As you or a loved one is getting older, you might be wondering what \u201cnormal\u201d hearing is \u2013 so you can identify when it\u2019s time to visit a doctor for a hearing test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are varying opinions about the specific frequencies you need to hear to be in the normal range of your age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hearing tests are used to determine the severity of a person\u2019s hearing loss<\/a>. Not only do these measurements help doctors determine if your hearing is in a normal range, but the testing is also crucial for identifying whether you can benefit from hearing amplification.<\/p>\n\n\n A study<\/a>\u00a0looking at hearing loss in older adults shows that hearing loss increases gradually with age. Hearing loss can affect people of all ages but is more common in people who are in their 60\u2019s, 70\u2019s, and older.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Disabling hearing loss affects aging adults more as\u00a0people get older<\/a>. Here is a breakdown of the percentage of people experiencing disabling hearing loss, based on age:<\/p>\n\n\n\n An audiogram tests a full range of hearing thresholds, specifically focusing on the quietest sounds your ears can detect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This test measures different frequencies through five octaves. Like playing notes on a keyboard, the frequencies sound unique, with lower (bass) and high (treble) pitch sounds. Then, these results are plotted in graph form to show the audiogram results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you can hear small sounds, like a pin dropping, then your audiogram results will show that you have good hearing \u2013 at the top of the audiogram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your tests can be compared to the overall population. The normal range is calculated with half the people your age above the hearing threshold and half below that line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your audiogram shows as higher than the curve for your age, then it means that your hearing is better than average. Conversely, when the results show lower, then it means that you are experiencing more hearing loss than the averages for your age.<\/p>\n\n\n While hearing tests are helpful to measure a person\u2019s range of hearing, falling in the normal range doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that you don\u2019t need hearing assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, audiograms test for two types of hearing loss but don\u2019t account for hearing loss that occurs because of nerve damage. So even if your hearing is \u201cnormal,\u201d you still might find it difficult to understand conversations or hear noises in the environment around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, keep in mind that you might have normal hearing for come frequencies, with hearing loss only affecting specific frequencies. A common trend is to have normal thresholds in the lower frequencies and hearing loss in the higher frequencies.<\/p>\n\n\n Additionally, it\u2019s essential to consider the source of data when determining if your hearing is normal. For example, if you compare your hearing test with the\u00a0World Health Organization\u2019s definition<\/a>\u00a0of normal hearing, then understand that these reported ranges aren\u2019t adjusted for age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, your hearing might be normal for your gender and age. But your thresholds are showing lower based on the WHO charts because your hearing isn\u2019t as good as younger people.<\/p>\n\n\n If you are in the normal hearing range, then you probably don\u2019t have difficulty hearing conversations. These sounds are louder than your hearing thresholds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But conversational sounds can start to decrease, depending on the severity of your hearing loss<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the beginning, people with age-related hearing loss often lose their ability to hear the higher frequencies. So, you might notice that you can hear some people but have difficulty hearing other people \u2013 depending on the pitch and sound of their voices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another common age-related hearing complaint is that you can hear people talking, but it\u2019s hard to understand what they are saying because the voice isn\u2019t clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consonant sounds tend to be the most difficult for older adults to hear because they often occur in higher frequencies. For example, you might be missing essential consonants such as f, k, p, or t. Vowels are typically clearer since they tend to be in the lower frequencies of conversational sounds.<\/p>\n\n\n If you have problems hearing certain sounds, it\u2019s time to talk to a hearing specialist for an accurate diagnosis. Hearing loss can affect all areas of your life, making it hard to maintain relationships or interact in social settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not only can age-related hearing loss make it hard to hear certain sounds, but you might also find that loud sounds are unbearable. So, hearing amplification doesn\u2019t necessarily correct the issue because making the sounds louder doesn\u2019t necessarily improve the clarity of your hearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A hearing specialist<\/a> can help you choose the\u00a0ideal hearing aids<\/a>\u00a0with custom settings based on your hearing. For example, only specific frequencies can be amplified to help you fill in the conversational gaps you are missing.<\/p>\n\n\n When you schedule an appointment with our experienced team, we will complete hearing tests and a full examination to determine the underlying causes of your hearing loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A full diagnosis is essential to understand the reason why you are losing your hearing. Common issues include ear canal blockages from impacted wax, infection, damage, or age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Treatment options often include hearing aids or other assistive devices such as speech-to-text technology or phone amplifiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can learn more about your options by visiting with an ENT in or near Collin County and Dallas. Our staff at Collin County Ear, Nose, and Throat is here to assist. Contact us to schedule an appointment in Frisco or Plano, TX. Request an appointment using our\u00a0online form\u00a0or by calling: (972) 596-4005.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hearing loss is a natural consequence of aging due to environmental impacts over a person\u2019s lifetime. Additionally, cell degeneration can cause different functions in the body to start to break down, including the delicate parts of the ear that are necessary for hearing. As hearing starts to decrease, it\u2019s time to visit a doctor for…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2825","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hearing-loss"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/collincountyent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2825","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/collincountyent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/collincountyent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/collincountyent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/collincountyent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2825"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/collincountyent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2825\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2828,"href":"https:\/\/collincountyent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2825\/revisions\/2828"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/collincountyent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2825"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/collincountyent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2825"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/collincountyent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2825"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Normal Hearing for a 70-Year-Old<\/h2>\n\n\n
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What is an Audiogram? And How the Results Show Normal Hearing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
Does it Matter if You Have \u201cNormal\u201d Hearing?<\/h2>\n\n\n
Considering Age When Measuring Hearing Loss<\/h2>\n\n\n
Conversational Issues with Hearing Loss<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Hearing Amplification for Age-Related Hearing Loss<\/h2>\n\n\n
Talk to an ENT: Find Answers for Age-Related Hearing Loss<\/h2>\n\n\n