Hearing loss is often seen as an inevitable part of aging. However, data from the National Institutes of Health indicate that one in two people over the age of 85 has hearing loss, which suggests half of all individuals in that age bracket do not have this issue. That should be encouraging to individuals concerned by the prospect of losing their hearing in their golden years.

The American Academy of Audiology notes that age-related hearing loss is known as presbycusis. Presbycusis can develop due to a combination of variables, including changes to blood flow and the structures of the inner ear as the body ages, and shifts in how the brain processes speech and sounds. Certain medications and medical issues, including diabetes and poor circulation, also can worsen age-related hearing loss.

Though some hearing loss as individuals grow older may be related to age, Father Time cannot bear all the blame when individuals begin to lose their hearing. In fact, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders — using data from the 2015-2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey — notes that roughly 5% of adults between the ages of 45 and 54 have disabling hearing loss. Such losses are unlikely to be a byproduct of aging, and more likely indicative that individual behaviors can affect the degree to which a person loses or maintains his or her hearing. Preventative health care is vital to protecting the body long-term, and such maintenance can include steps to safeguard hearing over the long haul.

The Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) notes the following are some simple ways individuals can protect their hearing in the years to come.

• Keep the volume down. The HHF advises that individuals listen to personal audio devices at 50% to 60% of the maximum audio level. Some smartphones are pre-programmed to alert users when they attempt to exceed these levels, and users are urged to heed these warning when adjusting the volume on their devices.

• Lower the volume the longer you listen. Prolonged listening at high volumes can be especially harmful to hearing, even if users are listening at 50% to 60% of the maximum audio level. If you plan to listen for a long period of time, lower the volume even further.

• Take listening breaks. The HHF recommends taking routine listening breaks from personal audio devices. Individuals who listen to personal devices throughout a workday are urged to take breaks at least once every hour.

• Wear over-the-ear headphones. The HHF recommends individuals choose over-the-ear, noise-cancelling headphones over earbuds. Over-the-ear headphones are more effective at creating a seal that blocks out ambient sounds, which means users are less likely to turn up the volume on their headphones than they might be when using earbuds.

Routine hearing examinations are an effective way to monitor hearing, and individuals are urged to make them part of their preventive health care regimen. When measures are taken to protect long-term hearing, individuals may find it easier to protect age-related hearing loss if they experience it. The inner ear has tiny hair-like structures called cilia that are very sensitive to high volumes of sound.

We are born with a set number of these cilia and cannot make more as we age. Therefore, the younger we start protecting these cilia, the better. It is very important to wear protective hearing and to provide noise protection to your children. Some jobs are so noisy they can cause hearing loss over the years unless your ears are protected. Many employers provide noise protection for their employees and these items should be used. We may not consider that weed-eaters, lawn mowers, chainsaws, tractors, blowers, tillers, etc. can cause hearing loss and, if used over the years without ear protection, they can take a toll on your hearing. Blow-dryers, hairdryers, blenders, mixers, vacuum cleaners, loud traffic, and, of course, loud concerts, car races, monster trucks, and many other sources can damage hearing.

Prevention is the best cure, so we need to protect our hearing as a life-long practice and realize what a tremendous blessing our hearing is.

— Quarles is a registered dietitian with the South Central Human Resource Agency Head Start.