Elderly Hearing Loss

Hearing loss in the elderly is also called presbycusis and it is a relatively common condition. It is a gradual loss of hearing; so gradual, in fact, that many older people do not even notice that it is occurring. They may start to notice problems with their hearing when they speak on the phone or try to follow a conversation in a noisy setting; they may also get complaints that they turn the TV volume too high or ask everyone to repeat themselves often.

Presbycusis is most often caused by the degeneration of the nerve cells in the cochlea of the inner ear, making it a sensorineural hearing loss. This is part of the natural process in which cells start to break down as they age. While this is a process that begins relatively early on, you will only notice the effects of this degeneration on your hearing after enough of the nerve cells have died. Presbycusis alone does not cause complete deafness in the majority of individuals and the level of hearing loss that each person experiences will vary.

Nothing much can be done to prevent elderly hearing loss, given that it’s a natural phenomenon. There is evidence that prolonged and/or continued exposure to loud noise may cause individuals to experience more severe presbycusis than they would normally have had to experience; indeed, hearing loss in older workers that have spent time in loud environments seems to be worse than in older people who have not been exposed to loud noises; because of this, many doctors recommend wearing hearing protection as protection against hearing loss in the elderly.

A cause of presbycusis not having to do with exposure to noise may be found in changes in the blood supply to the ear; this could be due to heart disease, high blood pressure or other circulatory problems. Staying healthy, therefore, may also constitute a preventive measure. That said, though, keep in mind that even if your hearing is protected and you are never exposed to factors that could harm your ear structures, there is a significant chance that you will still experience some form of hearing loss.

Some people will only experience mild hearing loss and will manage just fine without any kind of assistance. Some individuals will have more severe hearing loss and will need the help of a hearing aid. There are many available on the market. Besides hearing aids, you can find a variety of other products to help you manage everyday activities despite your hearing impairment.

Serious hearing loss can be quite debilitating; combined vision and hearing loss for elderly people can be even more devastating. If you are or know an elderly person who feels they may be losing their hearing, there are a number of articles on hearing loss in the elderly that can be read. Also make it a point to regularly see your physician and have your hearing tested.