Hearing is key to our mental health and safety. Without a means to listen, we are unable to communicate, connect with each other and hear the sounds around us. From watching TV to listening to music and from following instructions at work to conversing at a gathering, hearing loss has a major impact on our ability to socially interact.
From the moment we are born hearing helps us develop intelligence, understanding and connections with those around us. It allows us to develop relationships by understanding each other's feelings.
When this ability is taken away it causes frustration not only for those who suffer hearing loss but also for those around them. Hearing loss affects 5% of the total population and it is estimated that by 2050, that number will reflect one in every 10 people. Here is how hearing loss can affect one's overall social interaction.
Trends In Hearing Loss
As mentioned, the number of people suffering from hearing loss will continue to rise. According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) projections, as many as 900 million people could experience hearing loss by the year 2050, almost doubling from 2019.
What are the causes of hearing loss?
The rising number of people with hearing loss is associated with many possible causes, with age topping the list. Here are the most common causes of hearing loss:
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Ageing: One in three people will suffer some degree of hearing loss or "Presbycusis" by the age of 65 as the inner ear changes over the years. This is the most common cause of hearing loss that is hereditary in nature which increases the risk of hearing loss between 35% to 55%.
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Tumours: Acoustic neuroma is one type of tumour that causes hearing loss, ringing in the ears or a plugged sensation in the ears.
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Genetics: This relates to non-syndromic types of hearing loss that is related to your DNA makeup such as GJB2 mutation. This gene affects a protein called connexin 26 produced in the cells of the cochlea in the ear.
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Head injury: Some people who experience traumatic brain injury can form a hole in the eardrum or middle ear leading to varying degrees of hearing loss.
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Very loud noise: This can be related to either a sudden loud noise such as an explosion, or exposure to loud noise over a long period of time such as playing loud instruments, or working in a loud factory.
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Infections or viruses: Some viruses or complications due to ear infections can cause hearing loss such as German Measles or Rubella. There is also a virus you can be born with called cytomegalovirus (CMV) which accounts for about 40% of hearing loss in very young children.
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Chronic diseases: Some chronic diseases increase the risk for hearing loss including heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease.
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Nutritional deficiency: Deficiency in B12 and folic acid can impair hearing by as much as 39%.
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Progressive genetic hearing loss: Progressive hearing loss leads to worsening hearing loss over time.
What are the symptoms of hearing loss?
Sometimes people suffering from hearing loss might not realize or even admit it. You might also work or live with someone suffering from hearing loss and misjudge them due to what you think is anti-social or rude behaviour. To help relate experiences to hearing loss, here are the symptoms:
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Avoidance of social gatherings or events: When people suffer hearing loss their own frustration of trying to communicate, as well as feelings of embarrassment over their condition, can lead to avoidance of gatherings and events.
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Difficulty in hearing others in noisy environments: When there is a lot of background noise having difficulty understanding others speaking could relate to hearing issues rather than to the background noise.
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Having people repeat themselves: People with hearing loss must continuously ask people to repeat themselves or to talk more loudly. This often results in frustration as the person having difficulty hearing gets angry thinking the other person is mumbling, while the person speaking gets frustrated as they know they are already speaking loud and clear.
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Turning up the volume: Having to turn up the volume when watching TV or listening to music when it is already loud to others in the room is a common result of hearing loss.
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Muffled sounds: When someone suffers from hearing loss all sounds are muffled including loud noises, sounds and voices.
What are the types of hearing loss?
There are three types of hearing loss:
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Conductive hearing loss: Hearing loss caused by an obstruction in the outer ear or in the middle ear is referred to as conductive hearing loss. It is caused by tumours or ear formations and can be treated with surgery or medicine.
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Sensorineural hearing loss: Hearing loss caused by damaged inner ear hair cells and ear nerves is called sensorineural hearing loss. In this case, hearing loss occurs due to varying factors such as ageing or excessive noise.
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Mixed hearing loss: As the name implies this is a combination of both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.
Emotional and Social Impacts of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can have a devastating effect on people's emotional health and social lives. Being unable to easily communicate with others can cause feelings of isolation leading to loneliness and depression. Because many people will remove themselves from their social circles due to embarrassment or frustration, the resulting isolation deepens depression. It is not uncommon to feel less important and unwanted, and can even negatively impact a person's overall health by increasing the chances of physical illness.
Often people tease people with hearing loss, which is sometimes meant affectionately but can also be less kindly. Plus, socializing with someone suffering from hearing loss can be frustrating due to communication difficulties, and this can lead people to avoid being around them. This contributes to their overall social dilemma.
In fact, people often think a person who has hearing loss is anti-social, aloof or boring because they aren't able to communicate effectively. As the graph below shows, 5% to 9% of those suffering from a hearing impairment have been made fun of or were rejected either due to their hearing loss or the use of hearing aids.
How Hearing Loss Affects Different Categories of People in Their Everyday Life
Hearing loss affects people differently based on their age group. Children, for example, face challenges at school that can keep them from pursuing their dreams and passions. It also affects how they develop and grow into their own personalities and adulthood. They are less social and therefore often suffer because they lack the social skills people learn naturally through everyday social interactions. The graph below shows how others feel when communicating with a deaf child, while the one above shows that 40% lack confidence when communicating with a deaf child. For adults, their hearing loss interferes with their relationships across all aspects of life including social, family and work. In fact, it can negatively impact their career success due to poor performance. As people age, hearing loss worsens leading to frustration, depression and lower self-esteem. This also affects their health and safety with an increased risk of accidents due to falls and balance issues.
Factors Affecting Social Interactions Due to Hearing Loss
There are many factors affecting social interactions including:
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Lack of opportunities: Fewer training and job opportunities arise due to communication challenges.
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Social withdrawal: Due to difficulty communicating, people with hearing loss tend to withdraw from social situations.
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Emotional issues: As hearing loss affects self-esteem and confidence it leads to emotional issues.
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Developmental issues in children: Since communication plays a key role in social development, children with hearing impairment often lack acceptable social skills.
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Mental health: An increase in stress, anxiety, frustration, depression and other emotional problems are associated with the lack of social interactions for adults and seniors. This is caused by social isolation and loneliness due to social embarrassment and lack of support.
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Career/Education: People face unfulfilling careers and missed education opportunities due to communication challenges.
As you can see by the graph below, 86% of people say hearing loss impacts communication with loved ones and 84% experience trouble with relationships.
Treatment for Hearing Loss
The good news is there are many treatments available for hearing loss. However, in the U.S. 35 million people suffer from hearing loss, yet 25 million do not have a hearing aid. In Canada, 3 million people are affected by hearing loss and yet only one in six wear hearing aids. Here are the treatments for hearing loss and their benefits.
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Hearing Aids: Hearing aids come in analogue or digital models. Analogue hearing aids amplify sound and can be adjusted based on your environment. Digital hearing aids respond to your hearing needs automatically. Most hearing aids today are very discreet, so most people won't even notice them.
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Implanted Hearing Devices: These devices are surgically implanted either in the middle ear for sensorineural hearing loss or bone-anchored hearing aids for single-sided deafness, conductive or mixed hearing loss.
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Cochlear Implants: Cochlear implants correct severe damage to the inner ear by turning sound into electrical signals sent to the "cochlea" allowing the signals to reach the brain so the sound can be heard.
Methods to Prevent Hearing Loss
You can help prevent hearing loss by using these recommended public health measures:
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Wear earmuffs or earplugs when in loud environments
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Pursue surgical procedures for abnormalities
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Remove wax blockage
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Avoid listening to high volumes
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Report exposure of loud noises at work to management to reduce work-related hearing loss risk
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Avoid smoking
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Clean your ears properly
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Reduce how often you use earbuds/earphones
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Exercise regularly
You can also have regular hearing check ups to help avoid the worry and anxiety of hearing loss.
Looking Ahead
Plans to support people living with hearing loss can help them enjoy a higher quality of life. Age-appropriate support in hand with social skills training can help the hearing-impaired enjoy higher self-esteem and confidence. Besides, if you think you are experiencing hearing loss, seeking immediate treatment will greatly improve your chances of finding a solution to help restore your hearing. Thanks to available technology that can address your issues at an early stage, more and more people are finding how easy it is to enhance their hearing and regain an enjoyable social life.
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of sciencetimes.com
