It is not uncommon for people to experience some degree of hearing loss as they age. About one-third of those between the ages of 65 and 75 and almost half of those over the age of 75 suffer from hearing-loss symptoms. The condition, known as presbycusis, is the gradual inability to hear high-frequency sounds as one grows older, such as the phone ringing or birds chirping. An elderly person who suffers from presbycusis normally finds it hard to hear in noisy surroundings, has difficulty catching high-pitched tones and "s" or "th" sounds, or constantly experiences ringing in their ears. Presbycusis often affects both ears equally; patients who suffer from it normally do not realize their hearing is diminishing because of the gradual nature of condition.
Presbycusis can be caused by changes in the inner ear, middle ear or along the nerve pathways leading to the brain. One of the common causes is the gradual loss of hair cells that help turn sound waves into nerve signals for the brain to interpret. As hair cells die, they do not grow back, resulting in the patient's gradual hearing disability.
Factors that can potentially increase hearing loss risk among the elderly include:
Age-related hearing loss can be prevented to a certain extent. For example, ear plugs and ear muffs can be worn to protect the ears from long exposure to loud noises.
Since age-related hearing loss gradually worsens with time, the patient should seek medical attention as soon as hearing loss symptoms are detected so that the doctor may conduct a baseline hearing test from which to evaluate the progression of the hearing loss as time goes by.
Devices or ways to assist patients with hearing loss include: