It is when older people suffer from a gradual loss of hearing that the hearing loss is referred to as Presbycusis, and the loss usually associated with Presbycusis is the range of higher pitched sounds.

When a person suffers from this type of hearing loss they find it extremely difficult to hear the ringing of a telephone but they can hear low rumbling sounds such as a truck going down the street clearly.

This condition is generally caused simply by the aging process from changes to the inner ear as we get older, it usually occurs in both ears and they are both affected equally, that is the loss of hearing is about the same in both ears.

It is a very gradual process and the one most commonly not noticed by the individual most times it will be brought to your attention by someone else noticing your loss of hearing.

What Are The Symptoms Of Presbycusis?

Sounds will appear lower in volume and less clear and often the sufferer will have a great deal of trouble hearing what is said in conversations, the following are points to look for if you think you might be suffering from hearing loss of this kind:

• A ringing sound or sound like the ocean in the ears
• If you have trouble with the sounds “s” and “th”, you might find them hard to distinguish between in conversations
• Background noise causes a problem in conversations
• Certain sounds seems excessively loud and are annoying

Ways to Make Life A Little Easier

• Always face the person you are having a conversation with that way you can watch there lips and this will help you follow along the conversation
• Make sure that the room or area you hold the conversation is well lit this way it is easier to see facial expressions
• Never talk while you are eating
• Speak at the rate you would normally do and don’t over exaggerate the words
• Try re phrasing sentences if the person you are talking with doesn’t understand
• Where possible when in restaurants choose seating which is away from the crowded areas.

Old age is something that we can’t change and it comes to us all eventually but we can help a little in being sensible throughout our life with regards to our hearing, be aware of the damage loud noises can do to our ears and wear ear plus if necessary.

Go for routine medicals which will include a hearing test this can help pick up the first signs of problems with hearing loss and its better to deal with hearing loss early.

Growing older

Studies have shown that most people will lose there hearing to some degree as we age and this loss will worsen the older we get, nothing can be done to cure loss of hearing in old age but modern technology can play a big part in making life easier for older people in the form of hearing aids.

Loud Noise

Excessive and repeated loud noise can have an affect on the hearing and cause loss of it, this noise can be due to industrial machinery or exposure to loud music on a regular basis.

There are ways to help reduce the risk of loss of hearing due to noise factors; for example if you work all day near loud machinery then ear plugs should be worn all day. If you attend live concerts on a regular basis then try and get seats that are well away from any speakers near to the floor.

Injury to the Eardrum

Never Insert things such as cotton buds into the ear these are perfectly alright for cleaning the outer of the ear but pushing them inside can actually do more harm than good and can cause loss of hearing.

Causes of Temporary Loss of Hearing

A build up of excessive wax can sometimes block the ear drum leading to temporary hearing loss in most cases this can be cleared by attending your Doctors surgery and having your ear syringed. Use of over the counter ear drops for the removal of wax is not recommended as they can sometimes cause irritation of the ear that could lead to infection.

Excess Mucus is sometimes the cause of hearing loss most usually due to a cold or flu, hay fever and other common allergies can also cause a loss this usually due to the Eustachian tubes becoming blocked.

Certain prescription drugs can have an adverse affect on some people this may lead to temporary hearing loss, this usually clears up on its own account and no action is needed.

Hereditary Deafness

Certain types of deafness are contributed to certain hereditary conditions most of which mean flaws in the parents genes have been passed on which causes malformations of the inner ear.

Genetic Disorders

Genetic mutations also occur for example at the time of conception, when the fathers’ sperm meets the mother’s egg.

Parental Exposure to Infections

Babies are sometimes born deaf or have problems with there hearing when the mother has been on contact with someone that had German measles, mumps or influenza while she was pregnant.

Sometimes we try and remove the wax ourselves by use of cotton buds but this usually only succeeds in pushing the wax further into the ear and if pushed deep enough the wax can black the ear canal or be pressed up against the ear drum.

It is therefore important to remember not to try and remove any wax build up yourself if you think your slight hearing loss might be due to wax build up then visit your Doctor.

There are many home remedies for the removal of ear wax without the need for inserting cotton buds into your ear these are usually in the form of ear drops, they are designed to soften the wax but some of these products can actually have adverse effects on you and cause irritation of the ear. If the drops irritate and cause swelling in the ear canal this is called Otitis exterrna.

What Does Ear syringing Involve?

Ear syringing is usually carried out with a pulsed water jet system using a narrow tube which is connected to an electric pump. After having your ears syringed some people can find that it makes them dizzy for a short while afterwards but this clears quickly.

Very occasionally some people may develop inflammation in the ear canal after having there ear or ears syringed, this can cause itching and discomfort in the ear and ear drops are normally prescribed by your Doctor should this occur.

Is Ear Syringing A Safe Procedure?

Most of the time ear syringing is painless and highly effective. Syringing of the ears is usually advised against if you have certain problems with your ears such as recovering from ear surgery, if you have had recurring infections of the ear canal, if you have or have had a perforated ear drum or if you suffer from deafness in the other ear.

Research suggest that any problems caused by syringing the ears has been caused by medical practitioners not carrying out the procedure right or have failed to get a full medical history of the patient beforehand.

Other factors are poor technique for example the water was directed more at the eardrum instead of the roof of the ear, faulty equipment, or the tip of the syringe scraping the ear canal. These instances are very rare though and ear syringing is considered a safe treatment for the removal of wax causing a problem.

In adults there hearing loss or deafness often makes it difficult for them to gain employment and keep it. Children and both adults alike suffer isolation and there has always been a certain stigma involved with deafness and hearing problems.

The greater burden is felt in those people on low incomes because often they cannot afford the medical care they need to prevent loss of hearing or in the case of those already deaf or hard of hearing some can’t afford the expense of hearing aids to make there condition more manageable.

Time lost during employment and the cost of supporting those that need help also play an important factor on economic burden in some countries. So how can this burden be reduced?

How to Reduce the Burden

The solution focuses largely on the early detection and rehabilitation of those affected many cases of hearing loss particularly sensorineural loss could be prevented.

• Immunization plays an important role against diseases that can affect the hearing such as measles, meningitis and rubella.
• Testing for infections in pregnant women such as syphilis.
• Antenatal and perinatal care could be improved.
• Avoiding the use of certain drugs such as Ototoxic drugs.
• Diagnosing jaundice in babies and treating it early.
• Reducing exposure to loud noise.
• Early detection of hearing problems in babies and young children.
• Increasing the availability of affordable hearing aids.

Who’s activities for prevention and control of hearing impairment and deafness assist countries in reducing the avoidable instances of hearing loss and impairment and hope to eventually be able to eliminate it altogether in the future by using certain preventative measure which include:

• Developing a world wide data base highlighting the problem the world over and demonstrating how cost effective this prevention would be.
• Developing resources for primary health care workers.
• Determining guide lines against the major preventable causes of hearing loss.
• Raising awareness about the cost of hearing impairments.
• Encouraging countries to start national programmes for prevention.

Q: Do deaf people like listening to music?

Studies have shown that many deaf and hard of hearing people do in fact enjoy music as much as those who can hear, the majority of those asked who loved music did have hearing to some extent but all deaf people can feel physical vibrations and this is often felt through music.

Deaf people will even dance to music, they are able to this either by standing close to a solid object such as a counter top or table and rest there hand on it, this way vibrations from the music will be felt through the object. The bass in the sound system is also relied upon as this will give out vibrations also.

Many profoundly deaf people also enjoy music in a different way to you or I when listening to music through the use of a hearing aid, it doesn’t sound the same as what a hearing person will hear but deaf people find it stimulating in its own right.

Q: Can deaf people drive?

Deaf people are excellent drivers and most probably better than the person with hearing because the deaf person’s visual side is more acute than that of a person with hearing. Communication is of course a problem when driving as the person’s concentration is on the road not on reading your lips.

Q: Can all deaf people read lips?

Lip reading is a skill that is learnt by the deaf or hard of hearing it is not a natural inbuilt thing in the deaf, some deaf people find it extremely easy to pick up and some struggle to learn just as each person with hearing finds it difficult or easy in learning something new.

Q: Can deaf people hear anything at all?

A lot of people classed as deaf can actually hear to some degree, the sounds they can hear are generally sounds such as dogs barking and aeroplanes. Deaf people are classed as being deaf when they pass a decibel hearing loss test. Even though certain sounds can be heard most deaf people don’t have the ability of hearing a person speaks even when aided.

Q: Does it hurt a deaf person if there is a sudden loud noise?

An unexpected loud noise does in fact hurt the ears of a deaf person just the same as it would hurt a person with hearing.

Q: If both parents are deaf will they have deaf children?

Deaf people who’s deafness was caused by genes have a higher risk of having children who will be deaf too as the gene can be passed on but for those who’s deafness was caused by other means then the chances that there children will be born deaf is minimal.

Q: Why can some deaf people speak and not others?

People who are born deaf will never have heard the spoken language but people who have gone deaf or are hard of hearing they will have learned to speak as any normal child would do growing up.