Causes of Loss

Hearing loss is invisible and almost always painless. There are no physical warning signs, except for the occasional cases of ringing in the ears, called “tinnitus.” Most hearing losses develop over a period of 25 to 30 years, often getting gradually worse with age. Between ages 45 and 60, there can be enough deterioration to interfere with communication.

Researchers believe that hearing loss in adults is the result of two or more causes. These include:

Exposure to loud noise
Family history
The natural aging process

In most of these cases, there is damage to the microscopic hair cells (cilia) in the inner ear – causing irreversible hearing loss. For the vast majority of individuals with nerve damage (also known as “sensorineural” hearing loss), the damaged hair cells will function again if vigorously stimulated with amplification.

Only about five percent of all hearing losses are the result of structural damage to the ear. This type of loss is called a conductive hearing loss. Common causes are:

Impacted wax
Perforated eardrum
Middle ear effusion (escape of fluid into the middle ear behind the eardrum)
Otosclerosis (a condition in which the bones of the middle ear become immobile because of bony growth)
Cholesteatoma (accumulation of tissue in the middle ear caused by repeated middle ear infections)
Congenital anomalies

Other causes of hearing loss include:

Ototoxic drugs (certain antibiotics)
Viral and toxic illness

Effects of Loss

Hearing loss can significantly reduce your quality of life impacting many aspects of your daily living. It can restrict your ability to interact with others, prevent you from hearing vital information, cause misunderstandings, heighten stress, trigger unnecessary fatigue, and could perhaps lead to shorter life expectancy.

Hearing loss can isolate a person from society and their families -- straining relationships, and causing or aggravating emotional disorders.

In some cases, untreated hearing loss has been falsely diagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease because of the symptomatic similarities. A 1996 University of South Florida study of memory disorders found that 94 percent of respondents suffered from untreated hearing loss. The study found strong evidence that hearing instrument use, combined with effective follow-up care, may alleviate many of the symptoms commonly attributed to Alzheimer’s disease.

Early identification plays a vital role in limiting the adverse affects of hearing loss. It starts with a simple hearing evaluation and a few words of encouragement from family and friends.

FAQ About Hearing Loss

Self Evaluation

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