Millions Of Americans Likely Have Hearing Loss Without Knowing It: What Can Be Done?

By  //  February 11, 2017

four simple actions to avoid hearing loss

CDC: Four million workers go to work each day in damaging noise. Ten million people in the U.S. have a noise-related hearing loss. Twenty-two million workers are exposed to potentially damaging noise each year.

TECH TIMES–If you believe your hearing is good, that might not be the actual case. A newly released federal study has found that about 1 in 4 adults who think they have good or excellent hearing have signs of hearing loss.

Around 40 million U.S. adults ages 20 to 69 suffer from noise-induced hearing loss. Twenty-four percent of hearing loss cases is due to noisy workplaces, a new survey from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

“What surprised us was we found many people with evidence of noise-induced hearing damage who don’t have noisy jobs, who got that damage from their home or community,” said acting CDC director Dr. Ann Schuchat.

Many people are exposed to noise that impairs their hearing. This gets worse over time as they get more and continually exposed to loud sounds, which could range from deafening sirens to rock band concerts.

The CDC study discovered that 20 percent of Americans in their 20s have lost the ability to hear the softest sounds, with the effect manifesting more in men than in women. Another surprising finding is that more than 1 in 2 Americans with hearing damage from noise do not actually have noisy jobs.

Schuchat added that many people — specifically a quarter in the survey — deem their hearing good or excellent but already had signs of hearing damage in tests done.

CLICK HERE for the complete report on TechTimes.com and insight into the dangers and costs of, and what can be done for hearing loss.

Help to avoid hearing loss with the four simple actions above.