Hearing & Balance Doctors

Losing Your Hearing In Your Mid 30’s

There are many possible causes for early hearing loss. Some hearing loss issues happen under preventable circumstances

Losing Your Hearing In Your Mid 30’s

by | Oct 20, 2017 | Hearing Loss, Patient Resources

Losing your hearing when you are only in your thirties was likely not what you expected. With research showing that hearing loss prevalence is slowing down even among the elderly, you could have reasonably expected to not lose your hearing.

But if your hearing is starting to deteriorate, there are things you should know and do to secure yourself against future hearing problems.

Possible Causes For Early Hearing Loss

There are many possible causes of early hearing loss. Some hearing loss issues happen under preventable circumstances. Once you identify which factor your hearing impairment falls under, you will be better able to manage your hearing.

  • Earwax buildup – It is possible for earwax to become so compacted that you lose hearing. This type of hearing loss can be corrected with the help of an audiologist. It is not recommended to try to remove it on your own as it can force further compaction but get your earwax removed by a professional.
  • Infection – Repeated ear infections can damage and potentially rupture your eardrum. Depending on the damage, this can be corrected with surgery.
  • Inner ear damage – There are delicate bones and hairs in your inner ear. Loud noises and/or head trauma can damage the inner ear components. Care and caution can prevent most inner ear damage.
  • Medication – Various medications can damage your hearing. Some effects are temporary but there are some medications that cause permanent damage. Be sure to ask your physician if the medication they are prescribing is ototoxic, as these are the damaging kinds of medications.
  • Aging – For some people, aging will cause deterioration in hearing. It generally has genetic links.
Have You Noticed Some Difficulties With Your Hearing Lately?

How To Check For Hearing Loss

You can conduct a few at-home hearing tests if you would like to check your hearing capacity before visiting an audiologist. A couple of tests are:

  • Tuning fork test – Strike a tuning fork to see if you can hear the full tone.
  • Online tests – There are online hearing test

While you can use these tests to help you assess how your hearing is performing, you will need to see an audiologist. They will be able to identify just how much hearing you have lost and help you adjust to your current hearing levels.

Preserving Your Hearing

As you avoid loud noises and care for your overall health, you may not notice a change in your hearing in your thirties. However, by 60 years of age, you should schedule a hearing test. It will give you a baseline for your audiologist to work with and have something for them to reference in the future.

So, protect your hearing and if you suspect that your hearing is becoming impaired, be sure to see your audiologist. The sooner you do, the sooner you will have solutions to help you overcome any hearing loss.

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Dr. Ryan Whitaker

Dr. Whitaker joined Hearing & Balance Doctors of Utah in 2009. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Brigham Young University in 2005 with his Bachelors of Science in Audiology and Speech Pathology. He then received his Doctor of Audiology from the University of Arizona where he minored in Cognitive Neuroscience (the study of how people perceive sound). While at the University of Arizona, he specialized in evoked potentials, specifically researching Cortical Auditory Evoked Potentials and the Acoustic Change Complex. He gained clinical experience at Tucson Ear, Nose, and Throat; St. Joseph’s Hospital Balance Center; Arizona Hearing Specialists; and the Center for Hearing Impaired Children. Dr. Whitaker was raised in Orem, Utah with three older sisters and a younger brother (who is also an audiologist). His grandfather was a cartoonist for the Walt Disney Studios where he drew Donald Duck and many characters in Peter Pan, Cinderella, and Alice in Wonderland before starting the BYU Motion Picture Studio. Dr. Whitaker is married and has three sons. He is passionate about college football and also enjoys hiking in Southern Utah, reading, and traveling. He has traveled extensively through South Asia including Thailand, India, Nepal, and a church mission to the Philippines.

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