Do men experience hearing loss earlier than women?

Our ability to hear allows us to connect with the world around us, through conversations, media, and music – not to mention that our hearing allows us to listen out for dangers such as oncoming cars.

Early signs of hearing loss can feel worrying, but a specialist audiologist Bristol such as //www.imperialhearing.com/audiologist-near-me/bristol can test your hearing and suggest a range of support measures as appropriate.

Gender Effect

Interestingly, it’s more common for men to experience hearing loss at an earlier point in life than women. This is largely down to differences in hormones and genetics – not to mention the fact that men often work in noisier environments such as factories or construction sites.

Hormones

Differences in hormones between men and women play a role in our hearing, particularly as we get older. The female hormone estrogen is thought to offer some protection to women’s hearing.

Physical Differences

Men and women’s ability to process sound can differ in certain ways. Women are thought to be slightly better at detecting high frequency sounds, meaning that men are likely to struggle slightly more when it comes to picking out more subtle noises.

Environmental Factors

It’s long been known that exposure to extremely loud noises can damage a person’s hearing. Although there’s now a much more equal gender balance in most workplaces, men have traditionally held posts in very noisy environments, such as construction sites, which may cause damage to the sensitive eardrum, leading to hearing loss in later life.