Age-related hearing loss
Definition
Age-related hearing loss, or presbycusis, is the slow loss of hearing that occurs as people get older.
Causes
Tiny hairs inside your ear help you hear. They pick up sound waves and change them into the nerve signals that the brain interprets as sound. Hearing loss occurs when the tiny hairs inside the ear are damaged or die. The hair cells do not regrow, so most hearing loss is permanent.
There is no known single cause for age-related hearing loss. Most commonly, it is caused by changes in the inner ear that occur as you grow older. However, your genes and loud noises (such as from rock concerts or music headphones) may play a large role.
The following factors contribute to age-related hearing loss:
- Family history (age-related hearing loss tends to run in families)
- Repeated exposure to loud noises
- Smoking (smokers are more likely to have such hearing loss than nonsmokers)
Certain medical conditions and medications also contribute to age-related hearing loss. About half of all people over age 75 have some amount of age-related hearing loss.
Symptoms
The loss of hearing occurs slowly over time. It is most difficult to hear high-frequency sounds, such as someone talking. As hearing gets worse, it may become difficult to hear sounds at lower pitches.
Symptoms include:
- Certain sounds seem overly loud
- Difficulty hearing things in noisy areas
- High-pitched sounds such as "s" or "th" are hard to distinguish from one another
- Men's voices are easier to hear than womens.
- Other people's voices sound mumbled or slurred
- Ringing in the ears
The symptoms of presbycusis may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Talk to you health care provider if you have any of these symptoms.
Treatment
There is no known cure for age-related hearing loss. Treatment is focused on improving your everyday function. The following may be helpful:
- Hearing aids
- Telephone amplifiers and other assistive devices
- Sign language (for those with severe hearing loss)
- Speech reading (such as lip reading and using visual cues to aid communication)
A cochlear implant may be recommended for certain people with very severe hearing loss. Surgery is done to place the implant. The implant makes sounds seem louder, but does not restore normal hearing.
Prognosis
Age-related hearing loss is progressive, which means it slowly gets worse. The hearing loss is permanent.