What Causes Hearing Loss?

Age

Advancing age is the most common cause of hearing loss.

Noise

Noise exposure can cause hearing loss.

Drugs

Some drugs and antibiotics can damage the function of hair cells or the auditory nerve. Drugs which can cause damage to the hairlike cells of the cochlea are quinine, aminoglycosides, diurectics, aspirin in large doses, and some cancer drugs.

Wax

Wax can build up and block sound from passing through the auditory canal. Periodic removal of earwax can be performed by the audiologist. (Never use a cotton swab or sharp object to clean your ears as this can further impact earwax, cause a skin infection, or puncture the ear drum.

Injuries

Head injuries which cause a reduced blood supply can harm the inner ear structure.

Fever

High fever for a prolonged period of time can harm the inner ear structure.

Disease

Other causes of hearing loss include Meningitis, Meniere's Syndrome, benign growths and tumors in the hearing nerve, and viral infections such as mumps and measles.

Infections

Otitis media is a middle ear infection characterized by the formation of fluid on the middle ear lining. This can be caused by allergies, head colds, inflamed tonsils and adenoids, blocked eustachian tubes, sore throats, and other viruses.

Rupture

Rupture of the eardrum can be caused by a blow to the ear, extreme air pressure changes associated with flying or scuba diving, a sharp foreign object used to clean the ears, or from pressure caused by fluid from a middle ear infection.

Otosclerosis

A condition which causes immobilization of the middle ear bones. This is caused by deposits forming between the tiny bones of the middle ear. Also, a dislocation of the tiny middle ear bones can occur.

Malformation

A malformation of the ear canal can sometimes cause a hearing loss.