{"id":6687,"date":"2019-10-11T09:50:35","date_gmt":"2019-10-11T16:50:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/?p=6687"},"modified":"2022-06-07T12:40:17","modified_gmt":"2022-06-07T19:40:17","slug":"hearing-loss-facts-for-national-audiology-awareness-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/hearing-loss-facts-for-national-audiology-awareness-month\/","title":{"rendered":"Hearing Loss Facts for National Audiology Awareness Month"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The American Academy of Audiology has designated October as National Audiology Awareness Month. It&#8217;s an opportunity to raise public awareness of audiology and the importance of hearing protection in Tucson and across the country\u2014necessary first steps toward reducing the number of patients suffering from impaired hearing.<\/p>\n<h2>Hearing Loss is a Global Epidemic<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"October as National Audiology Awareness Month\" src=\"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/national-audiology-awarenessmonth-.jpg\" alt=\"Person listening \" width=\"489\" height=\"489\" class=\"wp-image-6688 alignright\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/national-audiology-awarenessmonth-.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/national-audiology-awarenessmonth--768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/national-audiology-awarenessmonth--256x256.jpg 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 489px) 100vw, 489px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>How many Americans have hearing loss?<\/h3>\n<p>An estimated 48 million Americans suffer from hearing loss, making it the third most common physical condition in the U.S. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 900 million people around the world\u2014about 10 percent of the population\u2014will have disabling hearing loss by the year 2050, making it a global health epidemic. Increased awareness is key to finding solutions.<\/p>\n<h2>Hearing Loss Statistics for the United States<\/h2>\n<p>Here are some facts about hearing loss in Arizona and the rest of the United States.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Approximately one in every five Americans suffers from <a href=\"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/hearing-loss\/\" title=\"Hearing Loss Overview\">hearing loss<\/a> to some degree.<\/li>\n<li>Hearing loss affects people of all ages, not just older individuals. Only one-third of hearing loss patients are 65 or older.<\/li>\n<li>Hearing loss is the third most common chronic physical condition, behind arthritis and heart disease.<\/li>\n<li>Sensorineural hearing loss, or nerve deafness, affects the inner ear. Nine out of ten people with a hearing impairment suffer from this type. Damage to the inner ear is permanent, but the majority of patients are able to <a href=\"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/hearing-aids\/benefits-of-hearing-aids\/\" title=\"Hearing Aid Frequently Asked Questions\">benefit from hearing aids<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Conductive hearing loss affects the outer or middle ear (and sometimes both). This type is often reversible through surgery or medications. It&#8217;s relatively rare; only about 10 percent of hearing loss patients suffer from this type.<\/li>\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1111\/j.1746-1561.2007.00197.x\" title=\"Noise and Hearing Loss | Journal of School Health\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">most common causes of hearing loss are noise and aging<\/a>. Both occur as a result of damage to the hair cells in the inner ear that convert sound to electrical impulses. Other causes\u00a0 include disease, head and neck trauma, hereditary factors and\u00a0 medications.<\/li>\n<li>By the age of 65, hearing loss affects one-third of adults. At age 75, around half experience hearing loss to some degree.<\/li>\n<li>2-3 out of every 1,000 babies are born with hearing loss. The majority of hospitals provide <a href=\"https:\/\/azdhs.gov\/preparedness\/state-laboratory\/newborn-screening\/index.php\" title=\"Newborn Screening | Arizona Department of Health Services\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">newborn hearing screenings<\/a> in order to detect problems immediately following birth. Early intervention is crucial; children with hearing loss suffer from delayed speech-language skills and poor social and academic development.<\/li>\n<li>85 decibels (dB) is the safety threshold for noise. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1080\/00028896409342582\" title=\"Permanent Threshold Shift Changes Produced by Noise Exposure and Aging | American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The louder the sound, the less safe exposure time you have before\u00a0 damage occurs<\/a>. Permanent hearing loss occurs after eight hours of exposure to noise measuring 85 dB, but at 100 dB,\u00a0 safe exposure time is cut to 15 minutes.<\/li>\n<li>Hearing loss usually develops gradually, making it difficult for many people to realize they have a problem. It takes seven years, on average, from the onset of hearing loss for people to seek medical treatment. The brain fills in the missing gaps by diverting resources from other important cognitive functions to assist in the hearing process, increasing the risk of social, psychological and physical health effects.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/hearing-loss\/custom-hearing-protection\/\" title=\"Prevent Noise Induced Hearing Loss with Custom Earplugs\">Noise-induced hearing loss can be prevented<\/a>. Wearing earplugs and other types of hearing protection whenever you are exposed to sounds exceeding 85 dB will significantly lower your odds of developing a hearing impairment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Your Tucson audiologist recommends regular hearing screenings to establish a baseline and detect any changes to your hearing over time. For more information, make an appointment today.<\/p>\n<div>\n<h3>Related Hearing Loss Posts:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/the-connection-between-hearing-loss-and-loneliness\/\" title=\"The Connection Between Hearing Loss and Loneliness\"><strong>The Connection Between Hearing Loss and Loneliness<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/tips-for-better-hearing-and-listening-at-concerts\/\" title=\"Can Hearing Aids Prevent Memory Problems?\"><strong>Can Hearing Aids Prevent Memory Problems?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/can-essential-oils-help-treat-hearing-loss\/\" title=\"Can Essential Oils Help Treat Hearing Loss?\"><strong>Can Essential Oils Help Treat Hearing Loss?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<div>\n<h3>Our Tucson Audiologists Office Locations<\/h3>\n<div style=\"width: 45%; padding: 0 5px 0 0; float: left; font-size: 0.9em; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/place\/Arizona+Hearing+Specialists\/@32.3439187,-111.0116971,15z\/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xc0154f96a0107b7b?ved=2ahUKEwjKjarb-LHfAhUYITQIHZilDh4Q_BIwGnoECAYQCA\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Audiologist on La Cholla Blvd map directions\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Tucson &#8211; Northwest<\/strong><\/a><br \/>\n7574 N La Cholla Blvd<br \/>\nTucson, AZ 85741<br \/>\n(520) 399-7652<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 45%; padding: 0 5px 0 0; float: left; font-size: 0.9em; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/place\/Arizona+Hearing+Specialists\/@31.85541,-110.9778603,17z\/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x86d6849525ae6e79:0xe27ce475ad241a0c!8m2!3d31.85541!4d-110.9756716\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Audiologist on Whitehouse Canyon Rd map directions\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Tucson &#8211; Ventana\/Foothills<\/strong><\/a><br \/>\n512 E Whitehouse Canyon Rd, #196<br \/>\nGreen Valley, AZ 85614<br \/>\n(520) 399-7652<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The American Academy of Audiology has designated October as National Audiology Awareness Month. It&#8217;s an opportunity to raise public awareness of audiology and the importance of hearing protection in Tucson and across the country\u2014necessary first steps toward reducing the number of patients suffering from impaired hearing. Hearing Loss is a Global Epidemic How many Americans&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6688,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"39","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"520-399-7630 | National Audiology Awareness Month raises public awareness of audiology - a first steps toward reducing untreated hearing loss.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hearing-loss-posts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6687"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7594,"href":"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6687\/revisions\/7594"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}