What Causes Hearing Loss
What Causes Hearing Loss
One of the most common health issues, especially among older adults, is hearing loss. As the process of losing your hearing is usually slow in development, it can see, as your hearing loss came out of nowhere once it finally starts impacting your life.
Here at Echo Hearing Center, we want to help you learn more about the causes of hearing the loss in your life. Because once you know what can cause hearing loss, you can better protect your hearing.
Potential Causes of Hearing Loss
The cause of your hearing loss can be a combination of multiple factors. Also, depending on where your hearing is affected will also dictate what audiology services you need to correct the loss. Some of the most common potential causes of hearing loss are:
- Head or Neck Injury – Generally affecting your middle ear, a head or neck injury such as a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can lead to hearing loss.
- Otosclerosis – This disease damages the middle ear, making it harder for the delicate bones to move and conduct sound to the inner ear.
- Ototoxic Medications – There are over 200 medications which can lead to hearing loss. Some of them, such as pain killers like aspirin, only cause temporary hearing loss; however, some medications like aminoglycoside antibiotics and loop diuretics can lead to permanent hearing loss.
- Presbycusis – This term refers to the gradual loss of hearing which is a result of aging.
- Loud Noise Exposure – One of the most common and avoidable causes of hearing loss, being exposed to loud noises can lead to inner ear damage as the sound-transmitting hair cells break. These cells do not regenerate and cause permanent hearing loss when damaged.
- Acoustic Neuroma – A type of tumor which can interfere with your hearing. Not only can it cause hearing loss, but this particular tumor often is accompanied by tinnitus symptoms.
Who’s Hearing Is More at Risk
Potentially, anyone can suffer from hearing loss, as we all have similar thresholds for loud noise damage. However, there are certain parts of the population who are more at-risk than others. Some of those more likely to struggle with hearing loss are:
Family History of Hearing Loss
If you have a family history of hearing loss, your risk factor is higher than the average person, as there is a genetic component in hearing loss.
Adults Over 50-60
Hearing loss can start affecting your life far sooner than you may have expected. Many adults have begun experiencing hearing loss in their early fifties to their sixties. This loss can be caught by having an annual hearing evaluation with our audiologist.
Motorsport Enthusiasts
Motorcyclists, snowmobilers, four-wheelers, and other motorsport enthusiasts often neglect to protect their ears, leading to early hearing loss.
Musicians
Without custom hearing protection, musicians and those who work with them often struggle with sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus.
Construction and Factory Workers
Those who work in manual labor jobs or around heavy machinery are far more likely to have their hearing damaged, especially in the absence of the appropriate hearing protection.
Those With Heart Disease or Insulin Resistance
As your auditory system relies on a constant flow of blood for oxygen and nutrients, those who have high blood pressure, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes often struggle with hearing loss.
Ways to Prevent Hearing Loss
Protecting your hearing isn’t hard, and it can make all the difference in the long run. A few of the easy things you can do are:
Wear the Appropriate Hearing Protection
While disposable foam earplugs are the most common type of hearing protection available, they are not always appropriate for your activity. Hunters and gun range shooters need earmuffs to protect the sound-transmitting bones around the ear, and musicians need custom hearing protection that still lets in the right amount of sound. Whatever your activity, you can talk to our audiologist to find out if you have the right hearing protection.
Visit Us for Annual Hearing Evaluations
By coming in for a regular hearing evaluation, you can make sure that your hearing is doing well. Also, if you have any hearing-related concerns such as strong tinnitus symptoms, you can discuss them with our audiologist during your appointment.
Use Your Hearing Aids
If you have hearing aids and don’t want to worsen your hearing loss, it is important that you fully utilize your hearing aids. They don’t do any good in their container, so be sure to wear them every day. This practice will help keep your ears from becoming strained and struggling with more hearing loss.
Even if you have a degree of hearing loss now, you should take steps to protect your remaining hearing from any further loss.
Take Care of Your Hearing Needs at Echo Hearing Center
Here at Echo Hearing Center, you can have your sensorineural hearing loss needs to be met. Our Denver-based hearing clinic has state-of-the-art equipment to help diagnose hearing loss accurately, and our audiologist has years of experience and education to help you find the right solution for your hearing needs.
When you are ready to take control of your hearing health care, Echo Hearing Center is here to help you. Contact us for an appointment with our experienced audiologist today!