Presbycusis

Presbycusis is a type of sensorineural hearing loss which is caused by natural aging. Presbycusis occurs over time, becoming worse as people age and can not be reversed. It is the most common form of hearing loss and the second most common illness among older people, effecting up to 1 in 3 people by the age of 65.

Symptoms

Presbyusis results in less ability to hear sounds. Since it occurs over time, many people do not know that they are affected and think that their hearing is normal. There are symptoms that show signs that hearing loss is present.

Sounds, and speech becoming unclear
Speech becoming harder to understand, especially of children and women
Needing to increase volume when using TV, listening to music and the radio
Difficulty focusing on sounds when there is a lot of background noise
Tinnitus

Communication for people with presbycusis usually will become a lot more difficult. Although noises may still sound loud, it is common that the sounds will not be clear. This is especially true when hearing high-pitched or high-frequency sounds.

Causes

Unlike other forms of hearing loss such as noise-induced hearing loss it is a normal part of aging. Even though it occurs naturally, there are factors that can make it worse and make it happen earlier in life. Presbycusis is usually a form of sensorineural hearing loss, which means that it is due to problems in the inner ear or the hearing nerve due to loss or damage to the hair cells that line the inner ear. The most common causes of sensorineural hearing loss are exposure to loud noise for long periods of time and some diseases.

Management

Most hearing loss can both be prevented or managed if the proper precautions are taken.

Noise-induced hearing loss in particular, coming from exposure to loud sounds can be prevented by using protection as well as avoidance
Hearing loss can be managed through the use of hearing aids which are used by many elderly people. Hearing aids are not only able to increase sound levels but also separate and increase relevant sounds, making them very useful in helping with hearing.

Other websites

National Hearing Care Find an audiologist in Australia for more information on hearing problems.
Bay Audiology Find an audiologist in New Zealand for more information on hearing problems.