These days I was visiting my parents. I spent a good weekend with my family. We talked about everything, recalled my childhood, and laughed a lot. It was a very warm and relaxing atmosphere. I was very glad to see my parents in a good mood and healthy. However, every time I leave, I feel sad. Why? Because I see them getting old. I notice changes not only on their faces, but also in how they feel, how they move, how they see. Recently I noticed that my father's hearing is worse. I know this is natural for older people, but still it got me thinking. I decided to study this aspect and answer first of all to myself, and also to you, to the question: Is it possible to prevent hearing loss?
Experts note that hearing impairment is one of the most common age-related problems in older people. Hearing loss can be gradual. An older person may notice this when asked to turn down the volume on the TV or when he/she no longer understands what others are talking about. As a result of hearing impairment, an elderly person ceases to hear low voices, high-frequency sounds (for example, birdsong or phone calls), and does not distinguish similar consonants in a conversation. This leads to difficulties in communicating with other people, emotional depression, and accelerates the process of intellectual extinction.
What causes hearing impairment?
Hearing loss can be caused by various internal (genetic and physiological) and external factors, such as:
- Changes in the organ of hearing that occur with age. The bones of the skull become less elastic, as a result, they pass sound worse, and the structures of the hearing organ degenerate.
- Damage to the auditory nerve due to aging.
- Deterioration of the state of blood vessels. The auditory zone always suffers from circulatory disorders due to a lack of oxygen and nutrients. It occurs with encephalopathy, coronary heart disease, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and other diseases.
- The effect of ototoxic drugs. Treatment with antibiotics and other medications can affect hearing.
- Exposure to pathogenic viruses and bacteria. The inflammatory processes they cause often lead to gross violations of the structures of the inner ear, the auditory nerve and the auditory centers of the brain. Flu, tonsillitis, meningitis are especially dangerous infections for hearing.
- Consequences of diseases of the hearing organs (often it is otitis media or otosclerosis).
- Unfavorable external factors (humidity, dust and dirt) that cause inflammation.
- Loud noise, various sounds (exceeding 60 dB) associated with professional activities.
- Improper ear hygiene.
Prevention of hearing loss in old age has a number of features. First of all, doctors recommend paying attention to sleep patterns. Adequate sleep is very important for vascular tone and the body's defense against viruses, in particular respiratory viruses, which are a common cause of hearing loss at any age. In addition, B vitamins are recommended.
How to prevent hearing loss?
This is the question I set out to find an answer to, and this is what I figured out. Prevention of hearing loss in old age has a number of features. First of all, doctors recommend paying attention to sleep patterns. Adequate sleep is very important for vascular tone and the body's defense against viruses, in particular respiratory viruses, which are a common cause of hearing loss at any age. In addition, B vitamins are recommended.
Speaking about the prevention of hearing loss, I would like to highlight the following recommendations:
- Protect your ears from hypothermia, dress for the season and wear a hat.
- Try to protect your hearing from external influences. If possible, it is best to stay away from roaring engines of cars, cars and loud music. If you have high noise levels at work or at home, buy earplugs from the pharmacy and wear them as needed.
- Don't dive too deep or wear a cap on your head when swimming in a chlorinated pool.
- Clean your ears. Earwax can block your ear canal. Wipe your ears daily with a towel and warm water. It is necessary to properly remove the wax plugs by flushing the ear canal and not push the wax with an ear stick.
- Try to avoid injury to your hearing in every possible way.
- Quitting smoking, including secondhand smoke, as studies have shown negative effects of cigarette smoke on hearing function.
- Consult a doctor in a timely manner for the treatment of inflammatory processes in the ear, throat, nose.
- In case of sudden hearing loss or noise in the ears, seek medical help immediately.
But for me the most important answer is that prevention of age-related hearing loss comes down to prevention of various diseases associated with age. The ability to delay the aging of the body is inseparable from the ability to live. It has been noticed that people leading a healthy lifestyle, adhering to a balanced diet, supporting intellectual and social activity, have better hearing than people of the same age who do not follow the requirements of a healthy lifestyle.
Our world is full of sounds. Take care of yourself to hear them all!