If Your Parents Often Say 'I Can't Hear You Well': How to Manage Presbycusis Early

How can the deficiency of the kidney mentioned in Donguibogam be understood in modern medicine? It can be linked directly to our body's overall cellular senescence, microvascular injury, and nervous system hypofunction. Presbycusis refers to progressive, bilateral hearing loss that occurs with aging, and it is closely related to the damage and degeneration of hair cells within the cochlea, the reduction of auditory nerve fibers, and changes in the central auditory processing pathway. Hair cells in the cochlea play a crucial role in converting sound vibrations into electrical signals and transmitting them to the brain. Once damaged, these cells do not regenerate, easily leading to permanent hearing loss. It is like tiny microphones breaking down one by one. This cellular damage is strongly associated not only with genetic factors, long-term noise exposure, and ototoxic drug use, but also with chronic diseases. In particular, chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes cause systemic microvascular injury, and the ear is an organ composed of very fine vessels, making it especially vulnerable to vascular damage. The stria vascularis in the cochlea plays a key role in supplying nutrients to hair cells and maintaining ion balance. If the blood supply here is impaired, hair cells lose their function due to lack of oxygen and nutrients. This aligns with the Donguibogam statement that when the kidney weakens, blood circulation worsens and affects the ears. Furthermore, the concept that the kidney governs the brain and bone marrow can be connected in modern medicine to demyelination of the auditory nerve, cognitive decline in the brain, and weakening of central auditory processing capabilities. As neuron function declines and inflammatory responses increase with aging, the brain's very ability to interpret and comprehend sound information can decrease. Problems arise not just in hearing sounds, but in the process of handling the heard sounds into meaningful information. This is why the connection between brain health and hearing loss has been highlighted even more recently. Ultimately, presbycusis is not just a problem of the ears, but a barometer that reflects the aging process of our entire body and our overall systemic health. Reinforcing kidney function through consistent everyday health management and reducing systemic inflammation and microvascular injury are vital to protecting not only your parents' joy of listening, but also their overall quality of life. Let us prepare together in advance for a healthy and vibrant old age.