What is Presbycusis and How is it Treated?

As we grow older, we begin to lose our hearing ability as we age, a condition known as presbycusis. Hearing loss of this type might lead to a less clear understanding of a conversation since a lot of speech is made up of high-frequency sounds, so certain words will ring unclear or just sound as if someone is simply mumbling. When hearing loss occurs in both of the ears (bilateral deafness), it affects both ears simultaneously.

The Causes of Presbycusis

There is a possibility that the condition of presbycusis is caused by the cumulative effect of a lifetime of hearing loud noises, including those derived from traffic, wind and machinery. This slowly damages the inner ear cells that carry sound information to the brain, causing the hair-like cells to become damaged over time.

Among the other factors that can play a role in this are:

• The family history
• Diabetes and high blood pressure are existing health conditions
• The side effects of certain medications

Treatment for Presbycusis 

The presbycusis condition is a condition associated with old age and cannot be treated or reversed. However, to treat the symptoms of hearing loss and to reduce the negative effect it may have on your everyday life, there are a few effective methods you can take, such as the following:

• Hearing aids are the most common type of treatment, and they are able to increase the volume of the sounds you have trouble hearing
• You can dramatically improve the quality of your TV, phone, and other electronic devices by using assistive listening devices – whether you are wearing a hearing aid or not
• Learning lip-reading is a very important skill to learn if you are dealing with hearing loss and to better understand what is being said. There are many support groups out there where you can find help.
• It is widely recommended that you start getting your ears checked after the age of 55, even if symptoms are not present

Diagnosing Presbycusis 

As part of the diagnosis of presbycusis, your audiologist will examine the inside of your ears and attempt to rule out any other possible causes of hearing loss that you might have. The audiologist will perform a hearing test or audiogram to determine the extent and type of hearing loss you have. The presence of presbycusis will usually be confirmed by this test.

It is necessary for your health care provider to check the outer ear canal and the eardrum with an otoscope, which is a lighted scope. The audiologist will look for signs of infection, inflammation, and damage to the eardrum during the examination. A sound is played through headphones to one ear at a time during an audiogram. Each sound should be heard if hearing loss isn't present. It suggests some hearing loss if someone cannot hear certain tones.

If you are worried about this, make sure you get in touch with an audiologist today.