Final answer:
Presbycusis is the gradual loss of hearing that occurs as we grow older. It is a type of sensorineural hearing loss and can be caused by various factors such as aging, exposure to noise, medications, infections, and diseases. Hearing tests and audiograms can help evaluate and monitor the extent of presbycusis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hearing loss that gradually occurs in most of us as we grow older is called presbycusis. Presbycusis is a type of sensorineural hearing loss and is the most common form of hearing loss. It is caused by factors such as aging, exposure to noise, medications, infections, and diseases.
Presbycusis is characterized by a progressive loss of higher frequency hearing, which can interfere with music appreciation and speech recognition. Hearing tests are performed to evaluate the extent of hearing loss and an audiogram display can provide a graphical representation of the threshold of hearing at different frequencies.
Keywords: presbycusis, sensorineural hearing loss, aging, exposure to noise, medications, infections, diseases, hearing tests, audiogram