Healthy Aging
Hearing and Vision Changes With Age
Hearing often changes slowly with age, and noticing it early makes it easier to stay in conversations, keep connected and feel safe. This page covers protecting the hearing you have, getting it checked, and what to know about hearing aids; vision has its own goal page.
General information, not medical advice. Last updated November 1, 2026. Written by the AlternativeMed editorial team. Not medically reviewed.
Start here
- Notice the signs: asking people to repeat themselves, turning the TV up, or struggling in noisy rooms or on the phone. If you see these, book a hearing check with your doctor, an audiologist, or a pharmacy or optician that offers one.
- Protect the hearing you have: turn the volume down, move away from loud noise, and use earplugs or earmuffs for loud activities.
- Do not wait if hearing drops suddenly in one or both ears. That needs a doctor straight away.
Be careful with
- Sudden hearing loss, or hearing that has worsened over days, is an emergency, not something to watch. Do not assume it is wax or a cold.
- Do not push cotton buds or other objects into your ears, even if they feel blocked.
- No vitamin, herbal extract or supplement has been proven to cure tinnitus or restore hearing. Do not use them in place of a hearing check.
- Never stop a prescribed medicine because you worry it affects your hearing. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.
Get help when
- Sudden hearing loss in one or both ears, or hearing that has worsened over days or weeks: see a doctor immediately (in the UK, ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111).
- Hearing loss together with earache, ear discharge, dizziness or vertigo.
- Hearing that is gradually getting worse, or has not recovered after treatment for an ear infection or earwax.
- Tinnitus that pulses in time with your heartbeat, affects only one ear, or is upsetting your sleep, mood or concentration.
- Feeling low, withdrawn or very anxious because of hearing difficulties: tell your doctor.
About Hearing and Vision Changes With Age
What this goal means
This goal is about keeping your hearing as healthy as it can be and staying connected while it changes. About one-third of older adults have hearing loss, and the chance rises with age.
Vision changes (cataracts, macular degeneration and eye checks) are covered on their own page, Maintain Your Vision Health. This page keeps to hearing.
1Common experiences
Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) comes on gradually, usually in both ears and equally. Because it is slow, you may not realise it. It may make it hard to tolerate loud sounds or to understand what others are saying.
Signs people notice include trouble following a conversation when two or more people talk, asking people to repeat themselves, needing the TV so loud that others complain, trouble on the phone or with background noise, and feeling that others mumble. NHS adds fatigue or stress from concentrating while listening. These signs do not diagnose anything; a hearing test does.
Tinnitus (ringing, roaring, clicking, hissing or buzzing) is also common and can be the first sign of hearing loss.
1,2,3Contributing factors
Loud noise is one of the most common causes. Other contributors named by NIA and NIDCD include family history, high blood pressure and diabetes, earwax or fluid build-up, a ruptured eardrum, ear infections, and certain medicines that can damage the inner ear (including some antibiotics, cancer and heart medicines, and aspirin at some dosages).
1,2Relevant conditions
Hearing loss can be temporary or permanent. NHS lists earwax, ear infection, a perforated eardrum, and labyrinthitis or Meniere's disease among other possible causes, and advises against self-diagnosing. Hearing loss is linked with withdrawal, depression, social isolation, loneliness and falls, and with faster cognitive decline in observational studies.
3,1Realistic expectations
NIDCD says scientists do not yet know how to prevent age-related hearing loss, and human hair cells do not regrow after noise damage. You can protect against noise damage and treat the effects of loss. NHS notes hearing aids make sounds louder and clearer but do not restore perfect hearing, and NIDCD says they take time and patience to get used to.
2,4,3,5Who this applies to
NIDCD reports about one in three people aged 65 to 74 has hearing loss and nearly half of people over 75 have difficulty hearing. Noise-related loss can affect adults of any age, so the protection steps here suit everyone.
2Related conditions and symptoms
Mild cognitive impairment and dementia → Frailty: what it means and what helps →
A manageable starting plan
An educational starting point, not a personal prescription. Adjust it to your own situation and any advice from your clinician.
Your first actions
- Book a hearing check if you notice any signs.
- Protect your ears from loud noise from today.
- Tell family and friends how they can help you hear.
Optional additions
- Try assistive devices for the phone, TV or doorbell.
- Ask about sound therapy if tinnitus bothers you.
- Make your home easier to hear in and safer to move around.
What to track
- How often you ask people to repeat themselves.
- Situations that are hardest (restaurants, phone, groups).
- Any new ringing, dizziness or ear pain, and any medicine started around the same time.
When to reassess
Review after the hearing check and again after a few weeks of using any hearing aid. Return to your audiologist if sounds are uncomfortable, whistle or still do not help.
When to seek professional support
- Audiologist or ENT doctor for tests and fittings.
- Family doctor or pharmacist for questions about medicines and ears.
- Counsellor or doctor if hearing difficulty is leading to low mood or isolation.
What helps
Ordered by how well the research supports each step. Evidence strength is shown on every card; precautions sit next to the advice.
Start here
Get your hearing checked
High certaintyAddresses: Finds out whether there is a problem and whether it is treatable
Why it may help: NIA says the most important step if you think you have a hearing problem is to seek professional advice. Your family doctor may diagnose and treat it or refer you to an ear, nose and throat doctor or an audiologist, who can identify and measure hearing loss. NHS notes some pharmacies and opticians offer free hearing tests.
How to apply it: Book with your doctor, or ask a local pharmacy, optician or audiologist about a hearing test. NIDCD offers a 10-question self-check: answering yes to two or more, or sometimes to three or more, suggests you consider a hearing test.
Who it may suit: Anyone who notices the signs above, or whose family says they mishear.
Precautions: A self-check is a prompt, not a diagnosis.
1,3,2Protect your ears from loud noise
High certaintyAddresses: Lowers the risk of noise damage, which is usually permanent
Why it may help: NIDCD says long or repeated exposure to 85 dBA or higher can cause hearing loss, and the louder the sound the less time it takes. Sounds at or below 70 dBA are unlikely to cause loss. Examples it lists include motorcycles (80 to 110), concerts and sporting events (94 to 110) and fireworks (140 to 160). Its rule of thumb is to avoid noise that is too loud, too close or too long.
How to apply it: Turn down the volume on devices, move away from the noise, and wear earplugs or earmuffs for loud activities such as power tools, lawn mowers, concerts and firearms.
Who it may suit: Everyone, and especially people who use power tools, ride motorcycles, attend concerts or listen to loud music through earbuds.
Precautions: Temporary hearing loss after noise that clears in 16 to 48 hours may still leave lasting damage, according to recent research cited by NIDCD.
4,1,2Treat hearing loss with hearing aids when advised
Moderate certaintyAddresses: Easier hearing and communication in quiet and noisy places
Why it may help: NIDCD says a hearing aid makes some sounds louder so a person with hearing loss can listen, communicate and take part more fully, but only about one in five people who would benefit uses one. NIA says an analysis of several studies found people using hearing devices had a lower risk of long-term cognitive decline than people with uncorrected hearing loss.
How to apply it: Ask an audiologist or doctor which type suits your loss. Wear the aids regularly, practise using and cleaning them with your audiologist, and go back for adjustments if they feel uncomfortable, whistle or sound too loud.
Who it may suit: People with hearing loss that affects daily life.
Precautions: Hearing aids have limits: if the inner ear is too damaged they may not help. The cognitive finding comes from pooled studies; see the ACHIEVE trial in the studied section, which had a more mixed result.
5,1,3Make conversations easier
Low certaintyAddresses: Fewer misunderstandings and less listening fatigue
Why it may help: NIA and NIDCD suggest telling family and friends about your hearing, asking people to face you and speak clearly (not shout), watching facial expressions and gestures, and choosing a good listening spot between the speaker and any noise.
How to apply it: Turn off the TV during conversations, choose a quiet table or a booth away from the kitchen or music in restaurants, and ask people to reword rather than repeat.
Who it may suit: Anyone with hearing difficulty, and the people who talk with them.
Precautions: These are practical tips from health agencies, not tested treatments, and do not replace a hearing check.
1,2,3Additional options
Consider an over-the-counter hearing aid for mild to moderate loss
Low certaintyAddresses: A lower-barrier route to amplification for some adults
Why it may help: Since 2022 the FDA has had a category of over-the-counter hearing aids for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss that can be bought without a prescription, a health care visit or a hearing test. NIDCD says to see a hearing health professional if one does not help or if you have trouble hearing loud sounds, as your loss may be more severe.
How to apply it: Start with a hearing check if you can. If you choose an OTC device, test whether it helps and go to a professional if it does not.
Who it may suit: Adults with mild to moderate loss who prefer to start without a prescription.
Precautions: An OTC device does not rule out a treatable cause such as earwax or infection, and is not for sudden loss.
2,5Use assistive listening devices
Low certaintyAddresses: Better phone calls, TV and venue listening
Why it may help: NIDCD lists phone amplifiers, smartphone or tablet apps and hearing loop systems in some venues. NHS mentions amplifiers, flashing or vibrating alarms and apps.
How to apply it: Ask your doctor or audiologist which devices suit your situation.
Who it may suit: People with hearing loss, with or without hearing aids.
Precautions: Alarm and warning devices matter for safety; NIA notes hearing loss can make it harder to hear doorbells and alarms.
2,3,1Keep the ear canal safe and see a doctor for wax
Moderate certaintyAddresses: Avoids injury and treatable blockage
Why it may help: NIA says earwax or fluid build-up can block sound and that a ruptured eardrum can result from infection, pressure or putting objects, including cotton-tipped swabs, in the ear. If wax is a problem, a doctor may suggest mild treatments to soften it. NHS advises against cotton buds even if ears feel blocked.
How to apply it: Leave the canal alone and ask a doctor, nurse or pharmacist about wax that blocks hearing.
Who it may suit: Anyone whose hearing feels muffled on one side or whose ears feel blocked.
Precautions: Ear pain or fluid draining from an ear needs a doctor.
1,3Stay socially connected
Low certaintyAddresses: Counters the withdrawal that untreated hearing loss can bring
Why it may help: NIA says older people who cannot hear well may become depressed or withdrawn because they feel frustrated or embarrassed, which can lead to social isolation and loneliness, and that they are sometimes mistakenly thought to be confused or uncooperative.
How to apply it: Tell people close to you about your hearing and keep joining the activities you enjoy, choosing quieter settings if needed.
Who it may suit: Anyone whose hearing makes group conversation tiring.
Precautions: If you feel persistently low, speak to a doctor.
1Still being studied
Hearing aids and cognitive decline (ACHIEVE trial)
Mixed findingsAddresses: Whether treating hearing loss slows memory and thinking decline
Why it may help: ACHIEVE randomised 977 cognitively healthy adults aged 70 to 84 with untreated hearing loss (mean age 76.8) to a hearing intervention (audiological counselling and hearing aids) or a health education control. Over 3 years the difference in cognitive change was not significant in the total group. A prespecified sensitivity analysis found the effect differed between the two recruitment populations, and the authors say the intervention might reduce cognitive change in populations of older adults at increased risk of decline. No significant adverse events were attributed to the study.
How to apply it: Not a self-help step: it is a result to discuss with your clinician. Hearing aids are advised for communication benefits whatever the cognitive result.
Who it may suit: Adults weighing up hearing aids who wonder about brain health.
Precautions: One large unmasked trial, mostly White participants, 3-year follow-up. It does not show that hearing aids prevent dementia.
6,1Brain-healthy habits → Mild cognitive impairment and dementia →
Sound therapy and behavioural therapy for tinnitus
Moderate certaintyAddresses: Less distress from tinnitus
Why it may help: NIDCD says there is no cure for tinnitus but ways to reduce symptoms include sound therapy (including hearing aids, sound generators and apps), cognitive behavioural therapy and tinnitus retraining therapy. It states studies have shown CBT can improve well-being in people with tinnitus.
How to apply it: Ask your doctor or an audiologist about sound therapy and counselling. A household fan or soft sound app can help at bedtime for mild tinnitus.
Who it may suit: People whose tinnitus affects sleep, mood or concentration.
Precautions: Tinnitus often goes with hearing loss, so get hearing checked. Pulsing tinnitus or tinnitus in one ear needs a doctor.
7Food & nutrition
Food and drink for hearing
We did not find a food, diet or nutrient that the sources we read show prevents or treats age-related hearing loss.
NIA and NIDCD link high blood pressure and diabetes with hearing loss, so general healthy eating that supports those conditions is sensible, but we did not find evidence that diet itself changes hearing.
NIDCD states that no vitamin, herbal extract or dietary supplement has been proven effective for tinnitus.
2,7Remedies & supplements
Traditional use, laboratory findings and human trials are kept apart. "Natural" does not mean safe.
Vitamins, herbal extracts and dietary supplements marketed for tinnitus or hearing
Evidence againstStudied form and route: Capsules, tablets and extracts taken by mouth
Intended outcome: Advertised to reduce tinnitus or support hearing
Human evidence: NIDCD says none of the vitamins, herbal extracts or dietary supplements commonly advertised as tinnitus cures has been proven to be effective. We did not find human trials in the sources we read showing benefit for age-related hearing loss.
Traditional use: We did not read a source describing specific traditional uses for hearing.
Laboratory findings: None read.
Limits: No proven benefit means you may pay for something that does not help and delay a hearing check.
Interactions and precautions: Supplements can interact with medicines; ask a pharmacist or doctor first. Pregnancy, breastfeeding and chronic conditions call for clinician advice. Never stop a prescribed medicine.
7Supplements for healthy aging: claim check → Multiple medicines and older adults →
Therapies & care
Established care for hearing is general professional assessment and treatment. This page does not recommend medicines.
Hearing assessment by a doctor or audiologist
High certaintyProfessional care A doctor, ENT specialist or audiologist can measure hearing, check for treatable causes such as wax or infection, and discuss hearing aids, implants or other options.
Who it may suit: Anyone with possible hearing loss.
Precautions: Sudden loss needs an immediate visit.
1,2,3Hearing aids and cochlear implants
Moderate certaintyDevices Hearing aids amplify sound; cochlear implants are surgically placed in the inner ear for people who are profoundly deaf or have severe hearing loss.
Who it may suit: People with persistent hearing loss as advised by a specialist.
Precautions: Hearing aids have practical limits when the inner ear is very damaged; follow-up fitting matters.
2,5,3Tinnitus counselling and sound therapy
Moderate certaintyBehavioural and sound-based CBT, tinnitus retraining therapy and sound generators or hearing aids can reduce the impact of tinnitus.
Who it may suit: People bothered by tinnitus.
Precautions: Pulsing or one-sided tinnitus needs a doctor.
7What to avoid
Habits, products and claims that can get in the way. Never stop a prescribed medicine without talking to the professional who prescribed it.
Risks that apply to most people
Ignoring slow changes in hearing
Moderate certaintyWhy: NIA says hearing problems that are ignored or untreated can get worse, and NIDCD notes the gradual nature means people may not notice. Untreated loss is linked with isolation and falls.
Who it applies to: Anyone noticing the signs, and people whose family mention it.
Try instead: Book a hearing check.
1,2Waiting on sudden hearing loss
Moderate certaintyWhy: NIDCD says sudden deafness is a medical emergency and that delaying diagnosis and treatment when warranted can decrease treatment effectiveness. About half of people recover some or all hearing spontaneously, but you cannot tell in advance who will.
Who it applies to: Anyone with rapid loss over hours or a few days, often noticed on waking or on the phone, sometimes with ear fullness, dizziness or tinnitus.
Try instead: See a doctor immediately.
8,1,3Personal triggers to check
Loud noise
High certaintyWhy: NIA calls loud noise one of the most common causes of hearing loss, and NIDCD says damaged hair cells do not regrow. Sources include loud music, high-volume earbuds, power tools, fireworks, firearms and motorcycles.
Who it applies to: Anyone, especially with frequent or long exposure.
Try instead: Turn it down, move away, or wear ear protection.
4,2,1Some medicines that can affect the inner ear
Moderate certaintyWhy: NIA says some medicines can damage the inner ear, sometimes permanently, including some antibiotics, medicines for cancer or heart disease, and aspirin at some dosages. NIDCD adds that tinnitus can be a side effect of certain medicines, especially at high doses.
Who it applies to: People taking medicines who notice new hearing change or ringing.
Try instead: Tell your doctor or pharmacist about the change. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.
1,7Products that need caution
Supplements and herbal extracts sold as hearing or tinnitus cures
Evidence againstWhy: NIDCD says certain vitamins, herbal extracts and dietary supplements are commonly advertised as tinnitus cures, but none has been proven to be effective.
Who it applies to: People with tinnitus or hearing concerns tempted by advertising.
Try instead: Get hearing checked and ask about sound therapy and counselling.
7Cotton buds and objects in the ear
Moderate certaintyWhy: NIA says an eardrum can be damaged by putting objects in the ear, including cotton-tipped swabs. NHS advises against this even if ears feel blocked.
Who it applies to: Anyone cleaning their ears.
Try instead: Leave the ear canal alone and ask a clinician about wax.
1,3Unsupported claims
"Hearing loss is just part of getting older, so there is nothing to do"
Moderate certaintyWhy: NIA and NIDCD describe treatments including hearing aids, assistive devices and training, and ways to cope. Loss from noise can often be reduced by protection.
Who it applies to: Anyone who has been told to put up with it.
Try instead: Get tested and discuss options.
1,2"Hearing aids prevent dementia"
Mixed findingsWhy: In ACHIEVE, the overall result on 3-year cognitive decline was not significant, though results differed between recruitment groups. NIA notes pooled studies suggest a lower long-term risk with devices, but this is not proof of prevention.
Who it applies to: Anyone considering hearing aids for brain health alone.
Try instead: Choose hearing aids for hearing and communication; treat any brain benefit as possible, not promised.
6,1Common mistakes
Expecting hearing aids to restore normal hearing at once
Low certaintyWhy: NHS says hearing aids make sounds louder and clearer but do not restore perfect hearing. NIDCD says they take time and patience, and that voice may sound too loud at first (the occlusion effect).
Who it applies to: New hearing aid users.
Try instead: Wear them regularly and keep follow-up visits with your audiologist.
3,5Assuming it is only wax or allergies
Moderate certaintyWhy: NIDCD notes people with sudden deafness sometimes delay seeing a doctor because they think it is allergies, a sinus infection or earwax.
Who it applies to: Anyone with abrupt change.
Try instead: Be seen promptly to rule out urgent causes.
8Evidence & safety
What the research shows
Health agencies agree that hearing loss is common with age, is often gradual, and can be helped with assessment and devices; noise protection is the clearest prevention step. Links between hearing loss and dementia, depression and falls come mainly from observational studies. One large randomised trial of hearing aids found no significant effect on cognitive decline overall.
Limits of the evidence
- Association with dementia, depression, isolation and falls does not prove hearing loss causes them.
- ACHIEVE was unmasked, ran 3 years and recruited mostly White participants; the effect differed between its two recruitment groups.
- We did not find trials of foods or supplements that show benefit for age-related hearing loss.
- Most of this page rests on agency summaries (NIA, NIDCD, NHS) rather than primary studies.
Precautions and interactions
- Some medicines can affect hearing; ask your prescriber or pharmacist and never stop a medicine on your own.
- Supplements marketed for tinnitus are unproven and can interact with medicines.
- This page does not diagnose; a hearing test does.
Life-stage considerations
- Older adults: about one in three aged 65 to 74 has hearing loss and nearly half over 75 have difficulty hearing, per NIDCD.
- Hearing loss can be mistaken for confusion or lack of cooperation (NIA); get hearing checked when memory or mood changes are suspected.
- Children and babies: NHS says hearing loss can affect speech and schoolwork and points to a checklist for babies; concerns need a clinician. We did not cover paediatric care in depth.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: we did not find specific hearing guidance in the sources we read; ask a clinician.
Warning signs
- Sudden hearing loss in one or both ears.
- Hearing that worsens over days or weeks.
- Hearing loss with earache, ear discharge, dizziness or vertigo.
- Tinnitus that pulses with your heartbeat or affects only one ear.
Claim checks
A supplement can cure tinnitus.
Evidence againstNot supported: NIDCD says none has been proven effective.
7Hearing aids prevent dementia.
Mixed findingsNot shown: the main ACHIEVE result was not significant, with a possible benefit in a higher-risk group.
6Hearing loss from noise grows back.
High certaintyNot supported: NIDCD says human hair cells do not regrow, so the loss is usually permanent.
4Sudden hearing loss can wait a few days.
Moderate certaintyNot supported: NIDCD says it is a medical emergency and delay can reduce treatment effectiveness.
8,1Questions people ask
What are the first signs of age-related hearing loss?
Trouble following conversations with several people, asking others to repeat themselves, turning the TV up, difficulty on the phone or with background noise, and feeling people mumble. A hearing test is what confirms it.
Can I prevent age-related hearing loss?
NIDCD says scientists do not yet know how to prevent it, but you can protect against noise-induced loss by avoiding loud sounds, limiting time and wearing earplugs or earmuffs.
Does a hearing aid prevent dementia?
Not shown. In the ACHIEVE trial the overall 3-year result on cognitive decline was not significant, though the effect differed between recruitment groups and may have benefited older adults at higher risk.
Are over-the-counter hearing aids okay?
They are an FDA category for adults with mild to moderate loss. If one does not help or loud sounds are hard to hear, see a hearing professional, as your loss may be more severe.
What counts as sudden hearing loss?
An unexplained rapid loss of hearing, all at once or over a few days, often in one ear. NIDCD says to treat it as a medical emergency and see a doctor immediately.
What loudness damages hearing?
NIDCD says long or repeated exposure to 85 dBA or higher can cause loss and sounds at or below 70 dBA are unlikely to. Distance and time also matter.
Can medicines affect hearing?
Yes. NIA says some medicines can damage the inner ear, including some antibiotics, cancer and heart medicines, and aspirin at some dosages. Tell your doctor if you notice a change, and do not stop a medicine without advice.
Is there a cure for tinnitus?
NIDCD says there is no cure but symptoms can be reduced with sound therapy, hearing aids and counselling. Advertised vitamins and herbal cures have not been proven effective.
Who should I see about my hearing?
Start with your family doctor, who may refer you to an ENT doctor or an audiologist. Some pharmacies and opticians offer free hearing tests in the UK.
What about my eyes?
Vision changes such as cataracts and macular degeneration have their own page: Maintain Your Vision Health.
References
- National Institute on Aging. Hearing loss: a common problem for older adults. Read 2026-11-01. source
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis). Read 2026-11-01. source
- NHS. Hearing loss. Read 2026-11-01. source
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Noise-induced hearing loss. Read 2026-11-01. source
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Hearing aids. Read 2026-11-01. source
- Lin FR, Pike JR, Albert MS, et al. Hearing intervention versus health education control to reduce cognitive decline in older adults with hearing loss in the USA (ACHIEVE): a multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2023;402(10404):786-797 (PMID 37478886). Read 2026-11-01. source
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Tinnitus. Read 2026-11-01. source
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Sudden deafness. Read 2026-11-01. source
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Related goals
Maintain Your Vision Health → Reduce Your Risk of Falls → Make Your Home Safer & Easier to Use → Maintain Your Everyday Independence → Keep Up With Preventive Care → Review Medicines & Supplements Safely →
Ingredients, foods and supplements
Supplements for healthy aging: claim check →
Research, safety and claim-check resources
Social Connection and Loneliness → Brain-healthy habits → Healthy aging: warning signs and when to get help → Sleep and memory changes with age → Healthy aging research and evidence → Medication interactions →