HEARING LOSS BASICS

Types of hearing loss include Conductive – due to problems with the ear canal, ear drum, or middle ear and its little bones (the malleus, incus, and stapes); Sensorineural – due to problems of the inner ear, also known as nerve-related hearing loss; or Mixed, a combination of both.

Causes

The causes vary, depending on the type, but here’s what you need to know right now (and pass along to others):

  • Up to one-half of Hearing Loss is caused by noise.
  • Up to another 1/3 of hearing loss can be caused by drugs (OTC & RX) or chemical solvents.
  • Illness, allergies, tumors, diseases like Meniere’s, problems with ear structures or head trauma are causes less often.
  • Earwax can be a silent or sudden cause of hearing loss, but is typically easy to solve.
  • Genetics can sometimes factor in as a cause.
  • Aging (presbycusis)