Common Causes of Hearing Loss

Many different conditions can result in hearing loss and causes can be located in any part of the hearing system. At any age, hearing can be damaged gradually or suddenly, although most often loss is gradual and painless. The cause may be congenital (a disease or disorder present from birth), or acquired.

If the condition affects middle ear function, the resultant hearing loss is described as conductive. If the condition affects the inner ear (cochlea) or the auditory nerve, the hearing loss is described as sensori-neural or nerve loss.

Common Causes of Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive hearing loss is essentially a mechanical problem with the conduction of sound vibrations - it occurs when something prevents the sound waves as they travel through the outer and middle ear. The causes of this type of hearing loss include:

• Blockage of the ear canal by impacted wax or foreign objects.
• Outer ear infection (sometimes a result of swimming).
• “Glue ear” (middle ear infection), a common problem in young children
• Perforated ear drum, maybe from a bad middle ear infection or a loud explosion.
• Ostosclerosis, an hereditary condition where bone grows around the tiny stirrup bone (stapes) in the middle ear partial or complete closure of the ear canal (known as atresia).
• Physical trauma, for example a motor car accident, or being hit with an open hand over the ear.

Conductive loss can be acquired (like an ear drum perforation) or congenital (like atresia). It can also happen either on its own or in conjunction with sensori-neural hearing loss.

Common Causes of a Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sensorineural Hearing Loss happens when the cochlea – the inner ear – is damaged. This is the part of the ear that turns sound into electrical information and sends it to the auditory nerve in the brain. This kind of hearing loss is permanent, and can be acquired or congenital.

Causes of an acquired sensorineural hearing damage include:

• The ageing process
• Excessive noise exposure
• Diseases such as meningitis and Meniere’s
• Viruses, such as mumps and measles
• Drugs which can damage the hearing system (called ototoxic drugs)
• Head injuries
• Systemic diseases such as diabetes
• Genetics
• Idiopathic (cause unknown)

A congenital sensorineural hearing impairment may be the result of:

• Inherited hearing loss
• Prematurity, lack of oxygen at birth, or other birth traumas
• Damage to an unborn baby due to a virus such as German measles (rubella) or CMV (cytomegalovirus)
• Jaundice, particularly when serious enough to require blood transfusion.

Free Hearing Screenings

If you are concerned about your hearing health and would like to a free check-screening to determine whether you need treatment, click on the link below.

FREE HEARING SCREENING SERVICE