Hearing loss can often be effectively addressed through professional hearing care and hearing technologies. Hearing aids and hearing implants can support better communication, helping people stay independent, connected and active in everyday life.

Our daily exposure to sound can affect hearing health, particularly in noisy environments. Taking simple precautions, such as using hearing protection and reducing prolonged exposure to loud sounds, can help protect hearing and reduce the risk of preventable hearing damage.

Changes in hearing can affect communication and everyday life, but timely professional care can make a meaningful difference. Innovative hearing technologies, combined with person-centred professional support, can help people stay connected, independent and fully engaged in family, social and working life.

Hearing loss is principally a natural consequence of aging, as our hearing deteriorates when we get older. Age-related hearing loss results from loss or damage to the tiny hair cells in the cochlea in the inner ear. It typically appears in our sixties and seventies and develops slowly over time – this is why early detection is so important.

More than 56.6 million people across the EU, UK, Norway and Switzerland experience hearing loss, and its effects can extend across society. Unaddressed hearing loss is linked to lower workforce participation, productivity losses and reduced social participation. Better access to hearing care can support communication, independence, healthy ageing and continued participation in work and community life.