Age-Related Hearing Loss

When we say age-related hearing loss, in this blog, we’re only looking at hearing loss that occurs during oldage or when an individual is officially considered a senior citizen i.e above 55 years of age to around age 80. 

Age-related hearing loss happens in elderly people due to diminished functioning of the internal auditory system. Older people are generally more vulnerable to hearing loss as they have been exposed to a lot of sounds for the longest periods of time. This doesn't necessarily mean that all old people are susceptible to becoming deaf when the time comes. Studies have found that in a lot of cases, older people who suffer from hearing loss have some hereditary connection to their current hearing issue. 

Before we look at the 5 main types of hearing loss in old individuals below, one must keep in mind that these are the most apparent and prominent causes of hearing loss that occur as a result of ageing. They do not include any specific type of acquired or congenital hearing loss that are seen in people much sooner, before they reach oldage.

Types of age-related hearing loss

Presbycusis

The age-related hearing loss that happens gradually is scientifically termed as presbycusis. It occurs due to changes in the middle and inner ear, that is when the eardrum, eustachian tube, Cochlea and auditory nerve start to weaken. It usually affects both ears simultaneously and the loss is gradual, so someone with presbycusis may not be able to realise that their hearing is deteriorating slowly.

Sudden hearing loss

Sudden hearing loss is a type of age-related hearing loss that happens very quickly and suddenly. This is caused due to sudden organ failure in the middle ear, which consists of the Cochlea and auditory nerve. Hence this is a sensorineural hearing loss and can also be referred to as sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Tinnitus

In elderly persons, tinnitus can significantly be the earliest indicator of hearing loss. Tinnitus is especially strong in older people than in the younger lot, for the elderly it can be so loud that it deteriorates their mental and physical coordination. Oldage hearing loss is very commonly accompanied with tinnitus, which can also signal other health issues like high blood pressure, allergies, or pharmaceutical side effects.

Inheritance

In India, there are many individuals who are old that have been diagnosed with hearing loss, and most of them have a visible pattern of inheritance, that is, a certain family member in their ancestry also had the exact same condition during the exact age as them. Although age-related hearing loss doesn’t typically have an explicit connection to heredity, many affected individuals report a family history of the condition.

Have you ever noticed any of the elderly members of your family finding it hard to hear? Or do you already see your grandmother, great uncle or grandfather wearing hearing aids? Well, now you know hearing loss is a common health problem in old people and they are specifically more vulnerable to it than their younger counterparts.