What Does Noises In The Head Of An Elderly Person Indicate?

Posted on Mon, 16 Mar 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 16 Mar 2015 Answered on

Mon, 6 Apr 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : What causes a 93 year old man to have noises in his head?

Answered by Dr. Rajkishori Godhi (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Can be age related

Detailed Answer:
Hi and welcome to healthcaremagic,

Noises in the head in old age are usually due to age related degeneration of the nerve carrying sound impulses from the ear to the brain.
It is usually associated with hearing loss.

He will need to see an ENT specialist to confirm the diagnosis. He will need an investigation called audiometry.

Age related hearing loss and tinnitus has no treatment. He can try a hearing aid, it will help with the tinnitus and also of course the hearing loss.

Other causes of tinnitus are... wax in the ear, ear infection, Meniere's disease, vestibular schwannoma.

Regards,
Dr Rajkishori Godhi (MS ENT)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Pradeep Vitta