Hearing loss is a common part of ageing. Presbycusis (age-related hearing loss) is the most common reason people lose their hearing and usually occurs gradually over time. Symptoms can include having trouble keeping up with conversations and needing to turn the TV or Radio up to be able to hear it. There’s no cure for age-related hearing loss however it can be managed with tools such as hearing aids.
Read on to learn more about presbycusis with The Hearing Care Partnership.
Presbycusis (pronounced pres-bu-kyoo-sis) is the slow loss of hearing in both ears due to ageing. It’s the most common form of hearing loss and affects about 1 in 3 adults between the ages of 65 and 74.
Because the hearing loss happens slowly over a long period of time, many people may not notice that they have hearing loss at first. But just like any hearing loss, it can have an impact on your quality of life if left untreated. It typically affects your ability to hear high-pitched noises, such as a phone ringing or a microwave beeping, while the ability to hear low-pitched noises is usually not affected.
The main cause of presbycusis is age – this happens because, over time, the structures in the inner ear break down and become damaged as you get older. It can also be due to reduced function of the auditory nerve.
There are also some environmental factors that can cause hearing loss once you get older. Lifelong exposure to loud noises such as working with heavy machinery, explosions, or loud music can damage the hair cells in your inner ear and cause hearing loss over time.
Other factors that can also affect your hearing include smoking, cardiovascular health conditions, and even diabetes.
Your audiologist will give you a thorough hearing assessment in order to diagnose age-related hearing loss. They will use an otoscope (a lighted scope used for looking into ears) to check your outer ear canal and ear drum. They will look for damage to your eardrum and any blockages in your ear canal (such as from foreign objects or impacted earwax), as well as any inflammation or infection. You may also receive a tympanometry test which allows your audiologist to make sure the eardrum and middle ear are working properly.
They may decide to offer you a hearing test – a test designed to measure your hearing range by playing sounds at varying pitches through headphones. You’ll be asked if you can hear each sound and they’ll make note of any tones you can’t hear which may indicate some hearing loss.
Presbycusis can’t always be prevented as it’s a gradual degeneration of your hearing as you get older, however there are some steps you can take to slow down this process.
Presbycusis is not curable, however there are ways it can be treated or managed to give you the best quality of life possible.
It’s recommended that you have regular hearing assessments, especially if you have a history of hearing loss in your family or if you work in loud environments or have health conditions that might affect your hearing. This way, your hearing specialist can spot any early signs of hearing loss and can discuss next steps with you.
Additionally, if you spot early signs of hearing loss in yourself or in a loved one, it’s time to make an appointment with your local THCP branch. Early signs might include struggling to hear high pitched sounds, tinnitus, and needing the TV at a higher volume than normal.
It’s important to recognise and address presbycusis as early as possible to ensure you preserve your hearing for as long as you can. By taking the right preventative measures and being proactive about your hearing, you can make sure that your quality of life is impacted as much as possible. If you think you might have age-related hearing loss, get in touch with THCP for your free hearing assessment. Our friendly audiologists will help to diagnose you and discuss next steps with you to help you regain your quality of life.