More commonly known as age-related hearing loss, presbycusis refers to the gradual degradation of hearing in both ears over time. Those who have presbycusis will usually notice a decline in their ability to hear higher-pitched noises (certain household appliance beeps or phones ringing), while lower-pitched hearing abilities are less affected.
The most common causes for presbycusis include natural aging, continued noise exposure from noise-induced hearing loss, a loss of sensory hair cells within the inner ear and progressive health conditions such as heart diseases and diabetes.
Symptoms of Presbycusis
Some symptoms of presbycusis to watch for are:
- Tinnitus, a ringing, buzzing or whooshing sound in one or both ears
- Noticing that certain sounds are suddenly louder or more annoying than they should be
- Being unable to hear or make out higher pitched sounds
- Conversations begin to sound distorted or “mumbled”