Hearing loss is very common. Roughly 15% of the U.S. population—tens of millions of people—have some form of hearing loss. While some hearing loss can be temporary, most cases are irreversible, which is why prevention is key. If you think you have hearing loss, it’s best to get your hearing tested and take steps to prevent further loss.
In this article, we’ll discuss:
- The 3 main types of hearing loss
- The most common causes of hearing loss
- Causes of sensorineural hearing loss
- Causes of conductive hearing loss
Types of hearing loss
There are 3 main types of hearing loss:
- Sensorineural: This is the most common type of hearing loss. It occurs from damage to hair cells in the inner ear (cochlea) or auditory nerve (connects the ear to the brain). Sensorineural hearing loss is often permanent.
- Conductive: This occurs when there is a blockage in the middle or outer ear, such as an ear infection, earwax, or fluid in the ear. Conductive hearing loss is often temporary, reversible, and treatable with medication or surgery.
- Mixed: This is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. You may need treatments for both types of hearing loss.
Causes of Hearing Loss
There are many causes of hearing loss, and they vary depending on the type of hearing loss. The most common causes are:
- Aging
- Noise exposure
- Head trauma
- Virus or disease
- Genetics
- Ototoxic medications
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Causes of sensorineural hearing loss include:
- Aging
- Loud noise exposure
- Injuries and infections (e.g., head trauma, ruptured eardrum, measles, mumps)
- Ototoxic medications
- Heredity
- Tumors and other abnormal growths (e.g., otosclerosis)
- Diseases and other medical conditions (e.g., Meniere’s disease, stroke, diabetes, high fever)
- Smoking
Conductive Hearing Loss
Causes of conductive hearing loss include:
- Fluid and ear wax buildup
- Infections of the ear canal or middle ear
- Perforation or scarring of the eardrum
- Foreign object in the ear canal
- Otosclerosis (an abnormal bone growth in the middle ear)
- Abnormal growths or tumors