How Young Is Too Young To Have Hearing Loss?

If you’re reading this, then you or a loved one are likely experiencing hearing challenges. You may be wondering, “Am I too young to have a hearing loss?”

This is a question that we hear often at the Cornerstone Audiology offices. There is an outdated stigma that hearing loss is only experienced by older people. However, the truth is that hearing loss can impact individuals of any age – not just grandparents!

We live in a noisy world. Loud construction sites, power tools, concerts and playing loud music through our headphones can all play a role in damaging our hearing.

No one is too old or too young to experience a hearing loss.

How Did I Get a Hearing Loss?

According to a CDC National Health Survey from 2014, approximately 15% of all American adults over the age of 18 experience some trouble hearing. And that number is only rising as our modern world grows louder and louder.

Hearing loss can be genetic, age related, noise induced, or linked to a pre-existing medical condition. While age can play a large part in a person’s hearing loss, other factors can cause a hearing loss in younger people as well.

If an individual’s parents or grandparents wore hearing aids, there’s a chance that they will have some degree of hearing loss themselves. 50-60% of hearing loss in babies is genetic. If more than one person has a hearing loss in the family, then it may be a genetic factor.

Sometimes, external factors like disease or infection can lead to hearing loss. This is especially true for babies and small children.

We are seeing an increase in cases of noise-induced hearing loss in younger people, and this correlates with improvements in speakers, headphones, and other music players. More and more younger people are wearing headphones for long periods. The popular Apple AirPods allow users to keep a close eye on the volume and decibel levels, but most headphones and MP3 players can reach maximum levels of 120 decibels – equivalent to a rock concert!

Hearing loss isn’t always a sign that you’re old; it’s a sign that you’ve lived an interesting life! Whether it be having fun at a concert, working hard in a loud space like an airport runway or a construction site, or even going out to dinner in a busy restaurant, hearing loss is a surefire way to tell that someone has had a loud and thrilling time.

So, the answer is: No, you’re not too young to have a hearing loss!

But how can you tackle hearing loss? Where do you even start? If you’re reading this, then you’re already on the right track.

Regular Hearing Assessments Can Help

Although most people regularly have their eyes tested, their teeth checked, and a yearly physical, very few people prioritize a regular hearing assessment.

Having your hearing assessed by a hearing professional can help you to understand your hearing loss and the options available to you.

Luckily for you, our team at Cornerstone Audiology is more than capable of helping you with any questions you may have. Even if your hearing loss isn’t severe, asking people to repeat themselves, missing important information at work, and missing parts of the conversation in social settings isn’t fun.

Hearing loss can be isolating for anyone, regardless of age.

Regular hearing assessments can help address health issues that hearing loss is often the predecessor for, like cognitive decline. On average, people wait up to seven years after learning that they have a hearing challenge to address it, which can lead to more issues in the long run.

The quicker we can identify what’s causing your hearing loss, the quicker we can treat it and get you back on track – especially if your hearing loss is related to another medical condition that needs attention from another doctor.

During a hearing test, we’ll look at your ears and search for signs of wax buildup or infection – these are often easy fixes that can remedy a small hearing loss challenge.

Pure tone audiometry is also performed to find your hearing threshold at multiple frequencies. Word understanding testing helps us to determine your ability to process speech at different loudness levels.

Our hearing tests are for people of all ages and all levels of hearing loss. Even if age does play a significant role in hearing loss, there’s no milestone birthday for when your hearing will start to decline. Hearing loss can affect everyone and anyone. What matters is how you go about treating it.