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Age-Related Hearing Loss What is age-related hearing loss?
Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) is the loss of hearing that gradually occurs in most of us as we grow older. It is one of the most common conditions affecting elder adults.
Approximately one in three people between the ages of 65 and 74 has hearing loss, and nearly half of those older than 75.
Age-related hearing loss most often occurs in both ears, affecting them equally. Because the loss is gradual, if you have age-related hearing loss you may not realize that you’ve lost some of your ability to hear.
Why do we lose our hearing as we get older?
There are several causes of age-related hearing loss. Most commonly, it arises from changes in the inner ear, but it may result from changes in the middle ear, or from complex changes along the nerve pathways from the ear to the brain.
What should I do if I have trouble hearing?
The most important thing you can do if you think you have a hearing problem is to seek advice from a health care provider. There are several types of professionals who can help you. You might want to start with your primary care physician, an otolaryngologist, an audiologist, or a hearing aid specialist. Each one has a different type of training and ability to care for a range of loss in hearing conditions.
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ELDER LIVING GUIDE
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