Are you an older person (or have an older person in your family) who has noticed that you are saying "what?" more often, or turning the TV volume up more often? After years of having normal hearing? You may, or your relative may, have presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss.
What Is Presbycusis?
What are the symptoms? How can you know if you might have presbycusis?
- Maybe you have noticed it is harder to hear people talk in noisy places
- Maybe you find yourself withdrawing more socially because of the frustrations of understanding people
- It is harder to hear sounds you are used to, like water running
How DoesPresbycusis Happen?
As a person ages, their cochlear hair cells may become damaged. This results in a high-frequency hearing loss that can start as early as middle age. The adult male of the species appears to be at greater risk, particularly if he is over 40 years old. In addition, there may be a genetic component to presbycusis. Noise exposure is also known to play a role.
The impact of presbycusis can be seen in age-hearing loss charts. As a person ages, the middle ear also ages, going through physical changes that make it more difficult for a person to discriminate sound.
Statistics show a large percentage of older folks develop presbycusis. As many as half over 75 may have hearing loss. According to the a Profile of Older Americans from the federal Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging, hearing loss was one of the most common condition experienced by mature people in a survey.
Resources on Presbycusis
Publications on presbycusis and age-related hearing loss are available.
- The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders has an online publicationon presbycusis.
- Guidelines for in-office screening for age-related hearing and vision loss
Research and Articles on Presbycusis
With age-related hearing loss so common, much research is being done. For example, scientists have managed to identify and map some genetic causes of age-related hearing loss. In addition, a possible link between smoking and hearing loss in later years has been found.
The Canadian Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology devoted an entire issue to Hearing Loss and Aging (June 1997 special issue). The lengthy online preface is accompanied by a useful bibliography of materials.
Treatment for Presbycusis
Hearing aids are helpful. People who have presbycusis may also benefit from learning skills such as lipreading, and obtaining assistive devices. Some people with presbycusis, particularly those with more severe losses, may also find learning sign language helpful.
