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Hearing
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SENIORS' HEALTH
Ear/Nose/Throat The gradual loss of hearing that occurs
as you age (presbycusis) is a common condition. Hearing loss happens when there is a
problem with one or more parts of the ear or ears. Someone who has
hearing loss may be able to hear some sounds or nothing at all. Over time, the wear and tear on your
ears from noise contributes to hearing loss by damaging the cochlea, a
part of your inner ear. Doctors believe that heredity and chronic
exposure to loud noises are the main factors that contribute to hearing
loss. Other factors, such as earwax blockage, can prevent your ears from
conducting sounds as well as they should. You can't reverse damage to your inner
ear. However, you don't have to live in a world of quieter, less
distinct sounds. You and your doctor or hearing specialist (audiologist)
can take steps to improve what you hear.
Screening and diagnosis To determine your
ability to hear and the extent of your hearing loss, your doctor or a
hearing specialist (audiologist) may administer a hearing (audiology)
test. At first, your
doctor may conduct a general screening test to get an overall idea of
how well you can hear. Your doctor may ask you to cover one ear at a
time to see how well you hear words spoken at various volumes and how
you respond to other sounds. During a more
thorough test called audiometry, you wear earphones and hear sounds
directed to one ear at a time. The audiologist presents a range of
sounds of various tones and asks you to indicate each time you hear the
sound. Each tone is repeated at faint levels to find out when you can
barely hear. The audiologist will also present various words to
determine your hearing ability.
Hearing
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