U.S. could be on verge of hearing loss epidemic

The United States appears to be on the verge of a hearing loss epidemic, according to a team of researchers at Johns Hopkins University. The study in the Archives of Internal Medicine says one in three U.S. adults already suffers from some degree of hearing loss.

Those numbers are expected to rise significantly. Researchers attribute that to an aging population and the growing use of personal listening devices.

Right now, it's believed 55 million Americans have hearing loss in one or both ears with men, whites and the least educated most affected.