A 65-year-old person with B/L SN hearing loss with proportionate speech discrimination is suffering from:
(b) Presbycusis(Ref. Cummings, 6th ed., 2331)Presbycusis, Noise induced hearing loss and ototoxic drugs all can lead to B/L SN hearing loss (mainly high frequency) with proportionate decrease in speech discrimination as all affect the cochlea. The speech discrimination/word recognition scores are far worse than would be predicted from that ear's pure tone findings in retrocochlear deafness (acoustic neuroma). Moreover acoustic neuroma is U/L.In the above question no history of noise exposure or ototoxic drug intake has been mentioned, ruling out acoustic trauma or ototoxicity. The age here is also suggesting Presbycusis.
Noise induced hearing loss
Presbycusis
Ototoxic drug
Acoustic neuroma
Ear