You are not alone if you presume that age is the top cause of decreased hearing. However, hearing loss falls into two primary categories: congenital and progressive. If someone is born with low hearing thresholds, their diagnosis is congenital.

If hearing thresholds decrease with age, their diagnosis is progressive. Progressive hearing loss is often preventable, so it is important to understand its causes.

What Is Progressive Hearing Loss?

Also referred to as acquired or sensorineural hearing loss, this diagnosis occurs gradually over time. When the sensory hair cells in your inner ear are damaged, your hearing will gradually degrade. The sooner you can identify your declined hearing the better. While the damage cannot be reversed, preventative measures can be taken to slow the decline. This includes identifying the cause of damage and minimizing exposure. 

What Are The 3 Types of Hearing Loss

There are 3 types of hearing loss: conductive, sensorineural, and mixed. 

• Conductive: This diagnosis involves the outer or middle ear. If the cause of your decreased hearing is temporary, hearing can be restored. For example, an ear infection, earwax build-up, and swimmer’s ear can degrade hearing but are typically easy to treat. 
• Sensorineural: This diagnosis involves the inner ear. Noise exposure and age are the most common causes of progressive sensorineural hearing loss. Inner ear damage is permanent, but you may be able to slow the rate of decline.
• Mixed: If there is damage or malfunction of both the inner ear and the outer or middle ear, the diagnosis is mixed. Your conductive symptoms may be temporary, but your sensorineural symptoms are permanent and progressive.

Causes of Progressive Hearing Loss

Although over 50% of adults over the age of 75 have progressive hearing loss, declined hearing is on the rise across all age demographics. It is estimated that 17% of teenagers and 19% of adults in their 20s have noise-induced hearing loss. This is due to the auditory risk factors of modern lifestyles. The top causes of progressive hearing loss are below.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Everyday life is louder than ever before, increasing the likelihood of noise-induced hearing loss. You may have experienced muffled hearing or ringing in your ears (tinnitus) after going to a dance club or concert. Although these symptoms are typically temporary, the likelihood of permanent damage is high. The more often you are exposed to high decibels, even if it does not result in a temporary disruption in your hearing, the faster your auditory function is likely to decline.   

Top causes of noise-induced hearing loss include:

• High-volume headphone/earbud use
• Fireworks and firearms
• Any high-decibel noises
• Loud at-home music, TV, or entertainment
• Concerts, dance clubs, and sporting events
• Power tools, appliances, and machinery
• Sounds of urban areas—traffic, horns, trains, etc. 

Unregulated Diabetes

Auditory health may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of diabetes or pre-diabetic risk factors. However, extended periods of high, low, and unregulated blood glucose levels can increase your risk of hearing loss. 

Hearing and diabetes are linked in 2 primary ways:

1. High blood glucose levels can damage the small blood vessels and nerves in the inner ear.
2. Low blood glucose levels can interfere with how nerve signals in the inner ear transmit sound to your brain. 

Other Health Conditions

There are a variety of health conditions that can increase the risk of both sudden hearing loss and progressive hearing loss. Symptoms may be permanent or temporary depending on the cause. 

Health conditions that may impact auditory health include:

• Meniere’s disease
• Viral infections
• Hypertension
• Vascular disorders
• Autoimmune diseases
• Some prescription medications
• Head trauma
• Genetic predisposition

How Is Progressive Hearing Loss Treated?

Hearing aids are the top treatment option for moderate hearing loss. Today’s hearing aids are discreet and sleek and contain advanced technology. Most have Bluetooth capabilities and can be managed through a smartphone app. 

Features include any combination of: 

• Automated volume control based on surrounding sounds.
• AI noise-filtering to detect and program for common daily settings. 
• Directional microphones to minimize background noise.
• Bluetooth connectivity to TV, music, and other entertainment.
• Personalized programming of your unique preferences. 
• Fall detection alerts to let you know that a hearing aid fell out.

How to Slow Progressive Hearing Loss?

If you have been diagnosed with hearing loss, you may be able to slow the progression with the tips below. 

• Identify and minimize the cause.
• Keep loud noises to a minimum.
• Use a smartphone decibel app.
• Wear as-needed hearing protection.  
• Annual physicals and hearing evaluations.

Do Hearing Aids Slow Hearing Loss?

No. Hearing technology, including hearing aids and cochlear implants, does not slow hearing loss. However, they are scientifically proven to slow cognitive decline. As the saying goes, “If you don’t use it, you lose it”. If you do not wear your hearing aids, the area of the brain that processes sound will shrink. Auditory technology keeps this area of the brain active.

Hearing aid benefits extend beyond improving hearing and minimizing cognitive decline. As hearing declines, you may avoid socialization to minimize the frustration of miscommunication. Improving your hearing improves your quality of life by reducing your risk for loneliness and helping you maintain personal connections and professional fulfillment. 

Need Help Managing Your Hearing Loss?

If you live in or around Holmdel, New Jersey or Staten Island, New York and require a progressive hearing loss treatment plan—schedule an appointment with Dr. Zhanneta Shapiro. Dr. Shapiro will complete a comprehensive hearing evaluation and tailor your treatment plan to support your lifestyle.