Presbycusis is the scientific name for age-related sensorineural hearing loss. The first symptom is an inability to hear sounds at the highest frequencies and can occur as early as age 20. Around age 60, there is considerable variation in how well people hear. Some have had significant loss of hearing since age 50, while others have no hearing problems into their 90s. In general, men seem to experience hearing loss more often and more severely than women. One explanation for this difference may be that men’s occupations are usually associated with prolonged exposure to louder noises.