Hearability Limited

Presbycusis – the most common form of hearing loss explained

The latest statistics from the RNID show that 41.7% of over 50-year olds will have some kind of hearing loss, the most common form being Presbycusis.

Presbycusis is a progressive sensorineural hearing loss that occurs in older people as they age. Sensorineural hearing loss is most often due to a loss of hair cells (sensory receptors in the inner ear). This can occur as a result of hereditary factors as well as aging, various health conditions, and side effects of some medicines. It can range from bothersome to severely disabling in its effects on the sufferer. Over 70% of adults over 70 will have some form of hearing loss and of these more than a third will have at least a moderate loss.

In moderate to severe cases it can cause the older person to become isolated, depressed and may significantly worsen age-related disability/cognitive impairment and dementia.

The loss associated with Presbycusis is usually greater for high-pitched sounds. For example, it may be difficult for someone to hear the nearby chirping of a bird or the ringing of a telephone. However, the same person may be able to hear clearly the low-pitched sound of a truck rumbling down the street.

There are many causes of presbycusis. Most commonly it arises from changes in the inner ear of a person as he or she ages, but presbycusis can also result from changes in the middle ear or from complex changes along the nerve pathways leading to the brain. Presbycusis most often occurs in both ears, affecting them equally. Because the process of loss is generally gradual, people who have Presbycusis may not realise that their hearing is diminishing.

What are the symptoms of Presbycusis?

With Presbycusis, sounds often seem less clear and lower in volume. This contributes to difficulty hearing and understanding speech. Individuals with presbycusis may experience several of the following:

• The speech of others seems mumbled or slurred.
• High-pitched sounds such as "s" and "th" are difficult to hear and tell apart.
• Conversations are difficult to understand, especially when there is background noise.
• A man's voice is easier to hear than the higher pitches of a woman's voice.
• Certain sounds seem annoying or overly loud.
• Tinnitus (a ringing, roaring, or hissing sound in one or both ears) may also occur.

What can be done?

The condition is not curable or reversible but is correctable with the aid of hearing instruments and rehabilitative measures, (avoiding and protecting against loud noises) that can improve quality of life for the older patient.

An audiologist can conduct a complete hearing evaluation and determine if a hearing aid may be useful. The individual is counselled about how a hearing aid may improve listening situations. Then the audiologist will conducts tests to find an appropriate aid, selecting one that maximises a person's hearing and understanding of speech. Most older adults with hearing loss will benefit from assistance, although the degree of benefit may vary according to the type and amount of hearing loss.