HEARING LOSS: THE SILENT DISABILITY

Part 1

Do people complain that your TV is too loud? Do you find that you are missing words in conversation and have to ask others to repeat? You may be experiencing hearing loss. Here are the facts:

· 1 in 10 Americans have a hearing loss – more than 31,000,000 people.

· 29% of people over age 65 have a hearing loss.

· 66% of people over age 60 have hearing problems.

· 60% of people with hearing loss are male.

· 1 in 6 baby boomers (ages 41-59) have hearing problems.

Most hearing loss is invisible, painless, and gradually gets worse over the years. Quite often people around you are aware of it before you are. If you’re missing words, turning up the television, or asking people to repeat themselves, it’s time you visited an audiologist to get a full hearing exam.