Elderly Often Ask People to Repeat Conversations Can Be Natural Hearing Disorders

JAKARTA - Hearing loss is a condition that occurs quite often, especially in the elderly. The decline in hearing ability usually takes place gradually so that it is often not immediately realized by the sufferer.

In fact, if it is not handled properly, this disorder can affect the ability to communicate and lower the quality of life of a person.

Head and neck surgery specialist, ear, nose, throat, Prof. Dr. Jenny Bashirudin, Sp.THTBKL, Subsp.NO (K), explained that one of the signs of hearing loss in the elderly is a phenomenon known as cocktail party deafness.

"Usually, if you are in a crowded place, he (the elderly) already feels that he can't hear clearly. It's called cocktail party deafness," Jenny said in an online discussion broadcast via the @rscm.kencana Instagram account, as quoted by ANTARA.

He explained that this condition makes it difficult for the elderly to understand conversations when they are in a crowded environment, for example when they are in a meeting or meeting.

"When many people talk or the atmosphere is crowded, their hearing becomes unclear and feels uncomfortable," he said. Jenny is a specialist doctor from the National Central General Hospital Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo (RSCM) Jakarta.

In addition to difficulty hearing in crowded places, hearing loss in the elderly is often characterized by a ringing sensation in the ears even though there is no sound source around. This condition is known as tinnitus.

According to Jenny, tinnitus can be an indication of a disorder in the cochlea, which is a part of the inner ear that resembles a snail house and plays an important role in the hearing process.

Another sign that often appears is a change in habits in daily activities. Elderly people who experience hearing loss usually watch television with a louder volume than usual or often ask others to repeat what they say when communicating.

"Things like that need to be a sign for us to check our hearing function. With the examination, we can find out about the condition of the hearing early so that it can be handled," said Jenny, who is also a member of the Indonesian Association of Ear Nose Throat Specialists in Head and Neck Surgery (PERHATI-KL).

He explained that hearing loss in the elderly is generally related to a degenerative process that affects the performance of the auditory bones and the cochlea in the inner ear.

If the cochlea is impaired, the elderly can experience difficulty hearing and communicating, which ultimately impacts the quality of life.

Therefore, early hearing examination is important so that hearing loss can be detected early and appropriate treatment can be given.

Based on a scientific paper entitled Hearing Loss in the Elderly published on March 6, 2023 on the website of the National Library of Medicine of the United States, hearing loss is a common condition experienced by the elderly.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 400 million people in the world suffer from hearing loss. The risk of this condition also increases with age, even its prevalence almost doubles every ten years of a person's life.

The treatment of hearing loss in the elderly is generally carried out after undergoing a thorough diagnostic evaluation to find out the cause.

According to a scientific paper written by Dylan Z. Erwin and Philip Chen, the type of therapy or treatment given will be adjusted to the diagnosis of the cause of the hearing disorder experienced by the patient.