age related hearing loss

Question 1

what is it?

Answer 1

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 older and elderly adults.

Question 2

what treatments can be offered?

Answer 2

• hearing aids
• cochlear implants
• lip reading or speech reading exercises
• assistive hearing devices

Question 3

differentials?

Answer 3

• Wax (cerumen) impaction.
• Foreign body.
• Infection: otitis externa or otitis media (acute or chronic suppurative).
• Benign tumours of the middle ear.
• Cholesteatoma.
• Noise-induced hearing loss.
• Perforated tympanic membrane.
• Tympanosclerosis.
• Otosclerosis.

Question 4

how is diagnosis confirmed?

Answer 4

audiometry

Question 5

how to patients present?

Answer 5

gradual, insidious hearing loss

Question 6

what causes age related hearing loss?

Answer 6

Intrinsic factors include:

• Neuronal loss.
• Loss of cochlear outer hair cells.

Extrinsic factors include:

• Noise.
• Ototoxic medication.
• Diet.

Question 7

what are some signs of age related hearing loss?

Answer 7

certain sounds seeming overly loud.

difficulty hearing in areas that are noisy.

difficulty hearing the difference between “s” and “th” sounds.

ringing in the ears.

turning up the volume on the television or radio louder than normal.

asking people to repeat themselves.