QUESTION: With the passing years I seem to be losing a bit of my hearing as well.
Many people my age, I am 70, seem to be in the same boat.
Is a "tin ear" something we just have to accept as part of getting a bit older?
ANSWER: Recent studies show that about one in three Americans 65 years or older including former President Reagan experience some sort of hearing impairment (defined here as deafness in one of both ears, or any other trouble hearing). The statistics are quite revealing.
In men, from the ages of 65 to 74, almost 30% report some hearing loss, and the number grows to 58% in youngsters over the age of 85.
Women seem to be a bit better off as only 17.5% in the 65 to 74 age group have difficulty.
About 13 percent of males in the 65-74 group reported deafness in one or both ears, compared to 8 percent of the women.
In people over 85, partial or complete deafness was noticed by 38 percent of men and 23 percent of women. About 8 percent of both sexes said they use a hearing aid.
When all those questioned including those with hearing aids were asked to describe their hearing, 61 percent reported no trouble while 5.5 percent indicated they had a "lot of trouble" hearing. So I guess you are not alone, and I'll just shout a bit louder when addressing answers to my older readers!
The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician.
Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.
