DEAFNESS that comes on with increasing years. It is caused by increasing loss of elasticity in the hearing mechanism, combined with the slow-ing-down of the mental processes that accompanies old age. It is characterised by particular di?culty in hearing high notes such as the telephone and the voices of women and children. Hearing in a background of noise is also affected. Modern, miniaturised, transistor ‘within-the-ear’ hearing aids are now available that are proving helpful in making life more bearable for the elderly in this respect. (See also AGEING; HEARING AIDS.)... presbyacusis
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