Hearing Loss 101

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Hearing loss is a growing problem affecting millions of people across the world. The truth is, we’re ALL at risk. The World Health Organization (WHO) expects the number of people with hearing loss to double by 2050, and one billion young people are now at risk of noise-induced hearing loss.

• Hearing is an often overlooked part of overall health and well-being.
• Hearing loss can be linked with other health concerns including increased risk of falls, depression and isolation.
• Even a small hearing loss can affect your daily life, work and relationships.
• Hearing loss should be treated as soon as possible.
• Only one in five people who could benefit from hearing aids, gets them.

The intensity of sounds are measured in units called decibels (dB). The more someone is unable to hear at a certain dB level, the greater the hearing loss. People with normal hearing do not experience any more than 25 dB of hearing loss. But how does that translate to real-life situations?

• Do you miss sounds such as people whispering, the hum of a refrigerator or running water?
  You might have a mild hearing loss of 26 to 40 dB.
• Do you have trouble hearing the television, falling rain, phone calls or group conversations?
  You might have a moderate hearing loss of 41 to 60 dB.
• Do you experience difficulty hearing doorbells, traffic, the vacuum cleaner or conversations, even in quiet environments? 
  You might have a severe hearing loss of 61 to 80 dB.
• Are you unable to hear a passing motorcycle, running lawnmower or someone shouting at you?
  This might indicate a profound hearing loss—greater than 81 dB, which is functionally deaf.

Hearing loss can be confusing and complicated. That’s why HLAA developed our Hearing Loss Toolkit, with key information to take the guesswork out of this common condition.