What are the 3 Most Common Causes of Hearing Loss

Age, genetics and ear injuries are among the most common causes of hearing loss. Your audiologist can assist you with accurately identifying any symptoms that may present.

According to the National Institute of Hearing Impairment and Other Communication Disorders, approximately one in eight Americans experience hearing loss. However, there are three types of hearing loss that are most common: age, genetics and ear imperfection.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one out of 1,000 infants tested for hearing loss are deaf. Hereditary hearing loss is the most common cause of hearing loss in infants and young children. For adults, age-related deafness is becoming more common, with 8.5% of adults between the ages of 55 and 64 experiencing hearing loss.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss 

Aging is the most common cause of sensorineural hearing loss in adults. This form of hearing loss occurs in the inner ear when small hair cells are damaged. The result is permanent because the cells do not grow back again. While ear changes related to heredity conditions and age play an important role, the ears are also affected by exposure to very loud noises. 

Conductive Hearing loss 

This cause of hearing loss is due to damage or blockage of the ear or inner ear. The most common cause of this type of hearing loss is linked to the accumulation of earwax in young children. 

Several other types of hearing loss include: 

• Otosclerosis: This is a cochlear bone with additional growth in the inner ear, it makes it difficult to hear because the bones stop vibrating. 
• Cholesteatoma: This occurs when additional tissue, that should not be located inside the ear, forms and has started to grow. Sometimes it is present at birth. It may appear due to chronic otitis media or a hole in the eardrum. 

Mixed Hearing Loss

Mixed hearing loss is a combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss. In the case of this type of hearing loss, physical damage or ear obstruction exacerbates genetic or age-related hearing loss. According to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, an example of mixed hearing loss is when you have hearing loss because you work around loud noises and there is fluid present in your middle ear.

There Is No Better Time to Act Than Now

Hearing loss is curable in some cases or reversible in others. Consider making an appointment with your audiologist to discuss treatment should you experience any of the abovementioned symptoms or recognize it in the behaviors of your loved ones.