What Causes Loss of Hearing?

Some causes of hearing loss

There are various causes that can lead to hearing loss. Check out some common ones listed here.

Accumulation of earwax

When the earwax starts to build up in the ear canal, there is a blockage in the sound waves conduction. As a result, the person finds it difficult to hear.

Crack in the eardrum

Rupture of the tympanic membrane can lead to hearing loss. It can occur due to fluctuation in pressure, loud noises, poking the ear with sharp objects, etc.

Injury of the inner ear

Prolonged exposure to loud sounds can cause irreparable damage to the nerve cells present in the cochlea. The main function of this organ is to transmit the noise signals. When these nerve cells or hairs are injured, then they fail to send the signals to the brain. As a result, the loss of hearing occurs.

Infection

Sometimes, infections such as measles, mumps, scarlet fever, meningitis, etc., can eventually lead to hearing loss.

Specific causes of Conductive hearing loss

These are some of the causes responsible for Conductive hearing loss.

• Allergies
• Malformation of the ear parts
• Benign tumors
• Otosclerosis
• Infection in the middle ear and ear canal
• Foreign object
• Ruptured eardrum

Specific causes of Sensorineural hearing loss

Sensorineural hearing loss can be due to the following reasons –

• Virus
• Tumors
• Loud noise
• Heredity
• Head trauma
• Otosclerosis
• Autoimmune disease of the inner ear
• Age

Risk factors associated with loss of hearing

There are also some risk factors that are associated with hearing loss. These include-

Heredity: Sometimes, heredity can also play a huge factor in hearing loss. Your genetic constitution might enhance your susceptibility to ear injuries.

Age: With the passage of time, the inner ear starts to degenerate. Even though the severity of the damage differs from person to person, most people suffer from it.

Medications: Different types of drugs can cause damage to the ear. Antibiotics, pain relievers, and some chemotherapeutic medicines can also cause a ringing sensation in the ear or loss of hearing.

Occupational noises: When you hear constant loud noises at the place of work, then that can damage the ear. It happens over years, and often, people don’t even understand that they suffer from hearing loss. Some of these occupations include farming, working in factories, construction sites, etc.

Conclusion

There are several causes of loss of hearing. Moreover, there are also some risk factors that can cause more damage. If left untreated, the condition can gradually worsen till the person becomes completely deaf. Also, it interferes with the living conditions of an individual. Cognitive impairment and hearing loss are often associated together. It is thus advisable to seek medical attention at the earliest best.