Have you heard? Hearing loss and men's health

2 mins to read

One in six Australians experiences a loss of hearing - a condition that is more common in men. Andrew Cate investigates.

Everyday health

Understanding hearing loss

Hearing loss is a growing problem as our population ages, rising from less than 1% for people aged younger than 15 years to three in every four people aged over 70 years.

Men have a higher incidence of hearing loss than women - particularly older men - mainly due to noise exposure in the workplace. Hearing impairment is the second-highest ranked disability for men in Australia (and is ranked eighth for women).

A hearing loss can be :

congenital – present at or soon after birth;
conductive – a blockage or damage in the outer and/or middle ear;
sensorineural – damage to the cochlea or to the hearing nerve, or both.
Hearing loss is usually a gradual process caused by ageing, genetics, exposure to noise, disease and the build-up of earwax.
Poor hearing reduces your capacity to communicate, which impacts upon quality of life for both the affected individual and their families.

Lifestyle and hearing loss

There is a clear link between hearing loss and lifestyle. A 2008 European study found that while exposure to occupational noise was by far the most significant risk factor for hearing loss, smoking and a high body mass index (a measure of body fat) also had a negative effect.

Italian research conducted in 2004 found that the nutrient folate is also connected with hearing. The study found that folate levels were significantly lower in subjects with sensorineural sudden hearing loss compared to control subjects.

Preventing hearing loss

Many of the things that cause hearing loss can be modified or avoided. If you have already sustained some hearing loss, it is especially important that you take steps to prevent any further loss of hearing.

To protect your hearing:

Maintain a healthy weight
Don’t smoke
Get enough folate
Avoid exposure to loud noises
See a doctor if you have a buildup of ear wax
Avoid flying if you have a heavy cold or ear infection
Get your hearing tested annually after the age of 60

Natural therapies

Low folate levels have been considered to be a risk factor for ischemic vascular damage of the inner ear. Folate is a water soluble B vitamin that occurs naturally in foods such as pulses, beans and spinach, while some breakfast cereals are also fortified with folic acid. In Australia, bread is fortified with folate.