Presbyacusis

In-ear hearing aid – ITE (in the ear)

Hanging hearing aid – BTE (behind the ear)

Presbyacusis is a manifestation of aging of the inner ear. It is the most common hearing impairment in the population.

Etiopathogenesis

The essence is the physiological aging of the auditory system as a whole. The aging process is highly individual and also depends on external factors (exposure to noise , toxins and other factors during life).

Symptoms and diagnosis

• hypacusia – a symmetrical perceptual disorder in the area of ​​higher tones (basocochlear), with time it also spreads to lower frequencies, and the 1–3 kHz area is significantly affected (speech);
• tinnitus – may or may not be present, it is not a constant symptom;
• there is a decrease in the ability of auditory analysis , it becomes difficult to compose sound images from binaural listening (mainly speech understanding);
• the result on the verbal audiogram is often worse than on the tone → damage to the higher levels of the auditory pathway.

Therapy

There is no causal therapy . For symptomatic treatment, we use hearing aid rehabilitation.

Links

Source

• BENEŠ, Jiří. Studijní materiály [online]. ©2007. [cit. 2009]. <http://jirben2.chytrak.cz/materialy/orl_jb.doc>.

References

• KLOZAR, Jan. Speciální otorinolaryngologie. 1. edition. Galén, 2005. 224 pp. ISBN 80-7262-346-X.