The Latest Data Regarding Hearing Loss In the U.S.A.

Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent health issues in America today; in fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, hearing loss is now the third most common health problem in this country, behind only arthritis and heart disease.

You probably saw these numbers before, but they bear repeating: an estimated 34.5 million people (more than 10 percent of the U.S. population) report a hearing difficulty. That is a rough estimate, as some cases of hearing loss go undetected.

That much we know, but here is something that may surprise you: most people believe hearing loss is predominantly age-related. Not so: About 65 percent of people with hearing loss are younger than 65. There are more than 6 million people in the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 44 with hearing loss, and nearly 1.5 million are school age, so hearing loss affects all age groups. Unfortunately, effective treatment – hearing aids – remains out of reach for millions of Americans.

Proper diagnosis is the key to effective treatment, which sometimes does not include hearing aids.  For the most effective diagnosis and treatment advise, make sure the hearing care professional you is is an audiologist, with a degree in audiology from an accredited university.  With an audiologist in your corner, dealing with hearing related issues does not have to be overwhelming or dissapointing.  Call your audiologist today.