1 in 4 adults impacted by hearing loss and don't realize it

Hearing Loss is impacting one in four adults and dangers are being found where you least expected it. According to new information from the CDC, people as young as 20 years old live with some type of hearing loss. Valley News Live explains where the study is finding a lot of the damage is being done.

"I guess I never realized I had that much hearing loss until I went in," said Randy Fiechtner of Wyndmere, North Dakota.

Fiechtner says he finally went in to get a hearing test after hearing hissing and buzzing in his ears. He found out he had hearing loss and needed hearing aids.

"We had a joke me and my wife that she used to tell me to turn my TV down where now it is the other way around," laughed Fiechtner. "I tell her to turn the TV down and stuff, but yeah I was amazed at how much I could hear, the little sounds."

Fiechtner is like many adults in the United States. They have hearing loss and don't realize it.

In the CDC study about 53% of adults with noise-induced hearing damage reported no job exposure to loud sounds, meaning the damage came from exposure at home or in the community.

"You end up missing your high frequencies and that usually goes with noise,and with high frequencies now all of a sudden you're missing speech sounds, like S, Z, TH so if you don't hear those sounds in a conversations your like why is that person mumbling, and that is a hearing loss," said Sanford Audiologist, Brian Qvammen.

The study highlighted that "using a leaf blower or going to loud concerts can damage a person's hearing just as much as working in a very noisy place." It also cited that some people as young at 20 years old have reported hearing damage.

"You're always saying what? That was my big thing," said Fiechtner. "I was always saying 'what', you know you missed it. I would recommend it to go in, I wish I would have went in 10 years sooner. I'm sure I have had hearing loss for years."

Fiechtner says his hearing aids are smaller and a lot different than what people think.

"You don't even notice it with people that have them," explained Fiechtner.

Some people won't admit they have a hearing problem, and according to Qvammen that can be hard to help.

"We do see people coming in because of a spouse or a family member but if they are not ready to wear hearing aids we definitely do not push them," stated Qvammen.

Qvammen says it's important to remember once damage is done, there is no repairing it.

Hearing loss is more common among men and people over the age of 40. You should talk with your primary care doctor if you are having issues and get a hearing test.