Age-Related Hearing Loss Can Harm Your Health

Jack Mitchell, National Center for Health Research

People often start losing some hearing ability in their fifties or by age sixty. Approximately 48 million Americans live with hearing loss. It’s important to have your hearing checked regularly, because being unaware of your hearing loss can make you feel isolated, depressed, or cause other health problems.1

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association recommends that adults be screened for hearing loss every three years after the age of 50.2  Experts estimate that 15% of adults have some hearing loss.3 Be frank with your physician if you’re asked whether you think your hearing isn’t as good as it used to be. Many adults, especially men, don’t like to admit hearing loss, because they don’t want to wear a hearing aid.4

Unfortunately, many patients who are prescribed a hearing aid don’t use them, or don’t use them as often as they need them.5 A law passed in 2017 that allows hearing aids to be sold over the counter, without a doctor’s prescription.

The average cost of a single hearing aid is $2,300, and the devices are not paid for by Medicare or most insurance companies.6  The new law will make less expensive hearing aids more easily available.  That will make getting your hearing checked regularly as easy and affordable as an eye examination.

All articles are reviewed and approved by Dr. Diana Zuckerman and other senior staff.

  1. Kochkin, S. & Rogin, C. (2000). Quantifying the Obvious: The Impact of Hearing Instruments on Quality of Life. The Hearing Review: Los Angeles, CA. Accessed December 7, 2017.
  2. American Speech-Language- Hearing Association. (2011). Who Should be Screened for Hearing Loss? Retrieved from https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Who-Should-be-Screened/. Accessed December 7, 2017.
  3. Blackwell DL, Lucas JW, Clarke TC. (2014). Summary health statistics for U.S. adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2012. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 10(260).  Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_260.pdf . Accessed December 7, 2017.
  4. American Association of Otolaryngology (AAO) Expert Panel. (2017, July 17).
  5. American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. (2017). Age Related Hearing Loss Measurement Set.
  6. Cruel, S. (2017, August 4). Senate Approves Bill that Would Allow Over-the-Counter Sale of Hearing Aids. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/senate-approves-bill-allow-counter-sale-hearing-aids. Accessed December 7, 2017.