About 3 in every 1,000 babies are born with hearing loss, but most instances come about later in life. Hearing loss can develop at any age. Many people with hearing loss also have tinnitus, or hearing a ringing, hissing, or roaring sound in the ears in the absence of an external sound source. Several of the most common causes of hearing loss are explained below.


Age-Related Hearing Loss (ARHL)

“Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) is the loss of hearing that gradually occurs in most of us as we grow older. It is one of the most common conditions affecting older and elderly adults,” according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). “Many factors can contribute to hearing loss as you get older. It can be difficult to distinguish age-related hearing loss from hearing loss that can occur for other reasons, such as long-term exposure to noise.”

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)

Occurs as a result of exposure to too much loud noise, says the NIDCD. Many construction workers, farmers, musicians, airport workers, and military personnel have NIHL. Temporary tinnitus after loud noise is a warning sign that repeated exposure may cause permanent NIHL. This is the only type of hearing loss that is fully preventable.

Genetic Factors

More than half of congenital hearing loss cases, or hearing loss present at birth, are due to genetic factors and can be caused by recessive or dominant genes. Examples of heredity hearing loss include:

Head Trauma

Head trauma can directly injure any part of the ear, and can cause fluid leakage from the inner ear into the middle ear, known as perilymph fistula.

Ototoxic Medications

Some chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin and aminoglycoside antibiotics have hearing loss as a common side effect.

Tumors

Benign tumors such as an acoustic neuroma can cause hearing loss.

Viral or Bacterial Infections

Ear infections can lead to hearing loss. In addition, “diseases or illnesses that result in high fever, such as meningitis, may damage the cochlea,” according to the Mayo Clinic. Bacterial meningitis is the most common cause of acquired hearing loss, with more than half of cases attributed to the disease.

Impacted Earwax

Earwax usually takes care of itself but if it is impacted and affecting your hearing, see an audiologist for help removing it.


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