Understanding Presbycusis – Age Related Hearing Loss
It will come as no surprise to those of us “of a certain age” that our basic senses begin to change as we age. It may start to take a little bit too much salt to taste, a little bit too much cologne or perfume to smell, and of course – the TV a little too loud for us to hear. While the natural process of aging plays a part in this occurrence, things like medications and other health problems also play their part in the gradual diminishing of our senses.
Age-related hearing loss is called presbycusis and affects 1 in every 3 adults over the age of 65. Interestingly, it is more common in men than in women. It is also the most common communication disorder and the third-highest self-reported disability. Because hearing loss happens so gradually, many people don’t even notice the change until it stops them from being able to participate socially like they traditionally have.
Symptoms of Presbycusis
Developing presbycusis can make higher-pitched sounds of speech like “s” and “th” sound unclear, the speech of others begins to sound mumbled or slurred, and conversations are difficult to understand – especially when there is a lot of background noise. This can lead to confusion which can impact an individual’s ability to understand conversations, particularly in those noisier environments. This can make communication in large gatherings, restaurants, pubs, meetings, and other social activities extremely difficult if not impossible to fully participate in and enjoy.
Presbycusis is the cumulative result of the normal aging process on your ears. While many things can cause it, the most common is the loss of nerve hair cells in the cochlea, (the organ that senses sound), caused by repeated exposure to noise over a lifetime. Other things like smoking and medical conditions can accelerate the progression of presbycusis as well.
Treating Presbycusis
Presbycusis is not curable, but the effects of it on your life can be mitigated through treatment. There are many ways presbycusis can be treated and managed – one of them is wearing hearing aids or hearing amplifiers. We at Otofonix always encourage you to see your audiologist before deciding if hearing aids or amplifiers are going to work for you, but don’t think you have to spend thousands of dollars on one of the expensive devices they offer to treat your hearing loss – you DO have another choice!
The Otofonix Solution
In the past, the only way to access hearing aids was by going through the expensive process of seeing an audiologist and having them order the hearing aids for you. Along with that came the added expenses of bundled pricing, markups, and future fittings and care.
We at Otofonix have changed that by offering high-quality, affordable hearing aids at a reasonable cost that can fit within most budgets. By removing the middleman and selling directly to you, our customer, we can save you thousands of dollars and give you your quality of life back at a fraction of the cost.
We also happily provide free, unlimited, 5-star customer service support to help guide you every step of the way—before and after your purchase! Don’t let traditional hearing aid costs stop you from getting the help and hearing aids you need. Let us help find the right hearing aid for you and your level of hearing loss. Just call one of our friendly customer service hearing technicians today at (704) 380-0508 or visit us at www.otofonix.com!
Looking for a hearing clinic near you? Visit our audiologist directory HERE
