A 31-year-old patient tells the nurse that he has noticed a progressive loss in his hearing. He says that it does seem to help when people speak louder or if he turns up the volume of a television or radio. What is the most likely cause of this hearing loss?

A) Presbycusis
B) Otosclerosis
C) Trauma to the bones
D) Frequent ear infections

Otosclerosis is a common cause of conductive hearing loss in young adults between the ages of 20 and 40 years. Presbycusis is a type of hearing loss that occurs with aging. Trauma and frequent ear infections are not a likely cause of his hearing loss. Instead, a common cause of conductive hearing loss (mechanical dysfunction of the external or middle ear which causes partial hearing loss that can be compensated for with an increase in amplitude) in young adults between the ages of 20 and 40 years is otosclerosis.