The Facts About Hearing Loss
Hearing Loss Facts to Inspire Understanding and Action
Hearing loss affects 48 million people in the United States. Hearing loss can occur at birth or can develop at any age. There have been many advances in all aspects of hearing health care so that from the youngest infant to the eldest senior citizen, there are new and exciting options available to help.
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Treatment options vary depending on the degree or type of hearing loss, age of onset and individual lifestyle needs. If you suspect that you or a family member has a hearing loss, the best place to start is with a hearing evaluation by a licensed audiologist.
Hearing Loss Facts: Adults​
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Hearing Loss Facts: Children
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Hearing Loss Facts: Noise Exposure
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Hearing Loss Facts: Treatment
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Hearing aids can offer dramatic improvement for most people with hearing loss
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People with hearing loss wait an average of 7 years before seeking help
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15 million people in the United States with hearing loss avoid seeking help
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Only 16% of physicians routinely screen for hearing loss
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Speechreading is the more current word for lipreading
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Types of Hearing Loss
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Learn More and Take Action
Elsewhere on our website, you can access more information on topics related to hearing loss in seniors, hearing loss in children, hearing technology, custom hearing protection and our free online hearing screening.
To learn more about hearing loss and the dangers of noise on hearing, health and quality of life, visit https://www.who.int/activities/making-listening-safe and https://noiseawareness.org/.
If you live in the New York or Ft. Lauderdale area, visit the Center for Hearing and Communication (CHC) for all your hearing health care needs – including a hearing testing, hearing aid consultation, custom hearing protection, and more.
To learn more about hearing loss and the dangers of noise on hearing, health and quality of life, visit https://www.who.int/activities/making-listening-safe and https://noiseawareness.org/.
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Do you have a question and want to ask an expert? CHC can help. Use the button below to submit your question and receive a reply from a CHC expert within 2-3 business days.
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May be damage to the cochlea (inner ear), auditory nerve, or the auditory centers of the brain
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Individuals may benefit from a hearing aid, cochlear implant, communication therapies, other medical management depending on the degree of the loss or the cause of the loss
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Indicates that there is a problem with the mechanism that conducts sound from the environment to the inner ear
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Problems in the external auditory canal (outer ear), eardrum, or the bones of hearing (the middle ear) may cause a conductive loss
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Can often be corrected by medication or surgery
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If it cannot be corrected, the individual can usually do very well with a hearing aid