Understanding How to Treat Presbycusis

Presbycusis is a type of gradual hearing loss that occurs over time and might be difficult to recognize, depending on the severity. It sometimes affects both ears to the same extent and typically begins around the age of 50. People with presbycusis struggle to hear high-frequency sounds more clearly than low-frequency sounds, making it challenging to hear women and children at times.

Presbycusis Symptoms

There are numerous signs and symptoms of presbycusis, which makes it easier to diagnose. The most common symptoms include:

• Difficulty hearing women and children
• Trouble hearing in background noise
• Progression in age
• Asking individuals to repeat themselves
• Feeling physically or mentally drained after conversations

However, presbycusis may be indicative of other health issues or more prevalent because of them, including:

• Hereditary: Presbycusis, like other medical illnesses, can be inherited. The crucial question is, did your parents or any closely connected family members experience hearing loss? You might have inherited it.
• Other health disorders: Conditions like high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, might influence the flow of blood to the middle ear. Which can result in presbycusis.
• Medication: Ototoxic medications, such as aspirin, can result in hearing loss. As a result, it is critical to take them sparingly and only when absolutely essential.
• Tinnitus: A symptom of hearing loss, that causes the individual to experience a ringing, whooshing, buzzing or pulsating inside the ear that has no external source.

Diagnosis

To appropriately identify age-related hearing loss and begin suitable, other causes or factors will need to be ruled out. This will entail a comprehensive review of your medical history, a visual inspection of the ear canal, as well as a series of hearing tests.  

Once these tests have been conducted, the audiologist will have a complete picture of your hearing health and will be able to better identify not only the cause of your loss, but the severity as well.

Presbycusis treatment

Hearing aids are the most commonly recommended treatment for age-related hearing loss. At the moment, there is no medical treatment that can completely restore hearing capacity. Hearing aids come in a multitude of shapes, sizes and styles, enabling them to be comfortable for nearly any individual’s needs. Commonly recommended device styles include:

• In the ear (ITE)
• In the canal (ITC)
• Invisible in canal (IIC)
• Completely in canal (CIC)
• Behind the ear (BTE)

Additionally, these devices can be equipped with a variety of features to personalize your experience. Features like Bluetooth make it easier to connect to compatible technology like televisions, speakers and sound bars, as well as directional microphones to ensure you are picking up on the sounds you need to hear, all around you.

Untreated hearing loss can result in an increased risk of other issues, including cognitive decline, falls, depression and anxiety. Ensure you stay on top of your hearing loss and are living your best life by seeking out appropriate treatments from your local audiologist.