Hearing loss is often associated with an older age bracket of 70-90 years old, and there’s some credence to that assumption—age-related hearing loss, or presbycusis, is the number one cause of hearing loss across America.
Age-related hearing loss, in our opinion, is a sign of an exciting life of loudness: concerts, live events, restaurants, and more. It’s a surefire mark that you’re living a busy life, not that you’re getting old!
If you’ve noticed some struggles in your hearing as you’ve gotten older and want to learn more about what’s going on in your ears, you’re in the right place. Professional hearing care with your unique needs at the forefront of every treatment choice could be what you need to get back to listening to the life you love.
What Causes Presbycusis, and How Do I Know I Have It?
Presbycusis affects approximately 80 percent of people aged 80 or above. It’s a common form of hearing loss, and as a result, it’s just as common for us to help people improve their hearing.
As we age, the delicate nerves in our inner ears age with us. This is irreversible (we all grow old eventually!) but not untreatable. With intervention at the right time, you can enhance your hearing with the help of personalized hearing treatment and, where needed, hearing aids.
Advanced hearing aid technology is often negatively associated with aging and getting old, but presbycusis happens to a vast majority of us—it’s unavoidable, but it’s easily manageable with the right tools and professional assistance.
Symptoms and early signs of presbycusis include struggling to hear your family members chatting to you, missing the doorbell ringing or someone knocking, turning the TV or radio up louder, feeling lost in conversations, or feeling overwhelmed in busy, loud environments.
Presbycusis is age-related, but causes can sometimes go deeper than just getting older. If your relatives—parents, grandparents, or even great-grandparents—dealt with hearing loss, then genetics could factor into your diagnosis.
Ototoxicity, or inner ear damage from certain medications, and noise exposure can also lead to an increased risk of or more severe presbycusis.
There is also some research linking age-related hearing loss to diabetes, hypertension, and other medical conditions.
How Do You Diagnose and Treat Presbycusis?
To diagnose presbycusis, you’ll need to visit an audiologist and get a comprehensive hearing assessment, which will provide clarity into not only the kind of hearing loss you’re dealing with, but also what treatment options are available to you to help optimize your hearing.
A professional hearing care expert will help you understand what your ears need to succeed and offer personalized options for your treatment with your specific needs at front of mind.
Treatment for age-related hearing loss includes hearing aids that are prescribed, fitted, and maintained by your audiologist to ensure that your hearing will be stronger than ever.
Concerned About Your Hearing?
If you’d like to explore hearing care for you or a loved one, or have questions related to your unique circumstances, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us via our website and we’d be happy to help you out!
Alternatively, you can find your closest clinic and give us a call for a more immediate conversation.