Hearing Loss

More of us are having troubles with our hearing than you'd probably think.

A first of its kind national analysis found that almost one-our-of-five of us have significant hearing loss. But it's not just happening as we get older, but even kids as young as 12 are having permanent hearing problems. That puts the number of those having hearing impairment at about 48 million. In some cases the problem is so severe that it's tough to make out normal conversation even just sitting down in a restaurant. This number is surprising since prior estimates were around 29 million.

Part of the concern is that a decline in hearing can also mean a higher risk of getting dementia. A lot of times this happens, the hearing loss, to older adults and occurs so gradually that they often don't realize it's happening. And that's why experts are pushing for more regular hearing tests, to catch a problem when it's still early on.

For younger adults and children, hearing loss often occurs because of our plugged-in society. Ear phones and ear buds, with music turned up loud, can take their toll on young hearing.

So the bottom line is for all of us to pay a bit more attention to not only our hearing but also the hearing of those around us. If you're constantly having to repeat yourself, or are frequently getting misunderstood, then maybe suggesting a simple hearing test might be just what the doctor ordered.