What type of hearing loss is commonly associated with aging?

Sensorineural hearing loss is the type of hearing loss that is commonly associated with aging, a condition often referred to as presbycusis. This form of hearing loss occurs due to changes in the inner ear or along the auditory nerve pathways to the brain, which can result from natural aging processes, exposure to loud noises over a lifetime, or other medical conditions.

Individuals may experience difficulty in understanding speech, especially in noisy environments, and may find that they struggle more with high-frequency sounds. The degeneration of hair cells in the cochlea or damage to the auditory nerve contributes significantly to this type of hearing loss.

In contrast, conductive hearing loss is usually related to problems in the outer or middle ear and often can be treated medically or surgically. Mixed hearing loss involves a combination of conductive and sensorineural factors, while transient hearing loss typically refers to temporary hearing issues due to factors like ear infections or fluid in the ear. Therefore, sensorineural hearing loss represents the primary concern of age-related hearing decline.