Hearing impairment: All through my life I've always had excellent hearing, but now that I'm in my late 60s I've noticed it's difficult to hear what people are saying, especially in crowded places. Is it that people are speaking less clearly these days or have I to face up to the fact that I'm developing a hearing problem?
A loss of hearing seems to gradually increase with advancing years. Once we hit the big 50 most of us can expect to notice a gradual loss of our hearing ability.
Between the ages of 60 and 70, about 25 per cent of people report a hearing impairment.
The type and degree of hearing loss will vary from person to person. While some will notice only subtle changes such as an inability to hear certain high frequency sounds, others, like yourself, will find it difficult to distinguish speech in certain situations such as a party setting or where there is a lot of background noise.
What actually causes a loss of hearing?
There are several causes for hearing problems.
Conductive hearing loss is when there is an obstacle blocking the passage of sound through to the inner ear. This can be caused by too much wax, infection or debris (such as a cotton bud) in the ear canal. These causes are usually reversible.
Neurosensory loss is when there is a problem that prevents the inner ear from picking up the sound waves properly and these distorted sounds are then transmitted to the brain. Neurosensory hearing loss can be caused by nerve damage, exposure to loud noise, certain drugs and a condition known as presbycusis. These are not usually reversible.
Presbycusis? I've never heard of that. What is it?
Presbycusis is more commonly known as "old age deafness" and is the most common type of hearing loss in older people. Symptoms include an inability to hear high frequencies, ringing in the ear (tinnitus), intolerance to loud noise, and difficulty distinguishing certain consonants such as "s" or "f".
Will a hearing aid help?
That, I'm afraid, will depend on the cause of your problem. You should arrange to have a hearing test (audiometric testing) and it may well be that an aid will help your problem.
Modern hearing aids can be tailored to your individual needs and, although not perfect, they are usually quite effective.