A 63-year-old welder who has gone to the clinic for an annual checkup.The patient shares a concern regarding difficulty hearing conversations at the coffee shop in the mornings.After looking in his ears to determine if there is a build-up of cerumen,the nurse tells the patient that the hearing loss may be associated with his occupation or it may be associated with aging.The nurse is aware that hearing loss associated with the aging process is known as which of the following?

A) Tinnitus
B) Ménière's disease
C) Presbycusis
D) Presbyopia

Question

Akila Morgan · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : C, Explanation :  Hearing changes often associated with aging include decreased hearing acuity,speech intelligibility,and pitch discrimination,which is referred to as presbycusis.Low-pitched sounds are easiest to hear,but it is difficult to hear conversation over background noise.A decrease in active sebaceous glands causes the cerumen to become dry and completely obstruct the external auditory canal.Tinnitus is commonly caused by ototoxicity and patients experience the sensation of ringing in the ears.Presbyopia refers to the gradual decline in ability of the lens to accommodate or focus on close objects and reduces ability to see near objects clearly.Although the cause of Ménière's disease is unknown the symptoms include progressive low-frequency hearing loss,vertigo,tinnitus,and a full feeling or pressure in the affected ear.

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