What Causes Hearing Loss?
Wednesday, April 06, 2016
Most people think hearing loss comes from aging, or years of being around loud music. Or, it’s inherited from our parents and grandparents. However, there are probably more causes and risk factors for hearing loss, alone, than for most other medical conditions.
Some unusual causes of hearing loss
Did you know that riding in convertible cars or on motorcycles (helmet or not) can increase your risk, cumulatively, of hearing loss? That, according to HealthyHearing.com, whose goal is to educate consumers about hearing loss, are two causes not normally thought about. www.betterhearing.org would be preferred here.)
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTHunting without proper noise protecting ear wear can cause hearing loss, particular in the upper sound register or high frequencies.
Scienceline.org issued caution to the 5 million people who ride the New York subways every day. “There are the readers, the sitters, the talkers, the ones who constantly crane their necks hoping to be the first to spot the train. But few people are [wearing earplugs], and we all probably should be.” The screeching and grinding noises, again, can have a cumulative effect on our hearing.
In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, “The Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study", it was noted that smokers are 70% more likely than non-smokers to suffer hearing loss. The nicotine in smoking is a vasoconstrictor that causes blood vessels to shrink, including the small capillaries in the ear.
Some common medications are considered to be “ototoxic” – having properties that are toxic to the ear and the vestibular system – with hearing loss as a recognized side effect. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association identifies prolonged use of painkillers such as aspirin or Vicodin, and some antibiotics, and notes that the hearing loss doesn’t necessarily go away when the use of the medication is stopped – it can be irreversible.
Your job can cause hearing loss, too. According to OSHA (Occupational Safety & Healthy Administration) every year approximately 30 million people in the United States are occupationally exposed to hazardous noise. “Noise-related hearing loss has been listed as one of the most prevalent occupational health concerns in the United States for more than 25 years. Thousands of workers every year suffer from preventable hearing loss due to high workplace noise levels.” Since 2004, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that nearly 125,000 workers have suffered significant, permanent hearing loss. Jobs of particular concern are those in
construction using loud equipment, or factory workers, firefighters, musicians, and landscapers.
Some existing medical conditions can cause hearing loss. Having diabetes means your blood flow is impaired because of damaged blood vessels, and hearing requires optimal blood flow. Same goes for people with sickle cell anemia, as the ear has a high metabolic rate and sickle cell crises can disrupt that and cause partial or full deafness.
The technology surrounding us can also be dangerous to our hearing. A new, more contemporary cause of hearing loss is streaming loud music directly into the ear by using ear buds – just look around you at a coffee shop – some people might be using sound deafening ear phones, yet others are playing a steady stream of music directly into their ears, over long periods of time. And at what volume?
Hearing loss is the third most common health problem in the US. It can be permanent or temporary, and in one or both ears. Hearing loss can be unbalanced between ears. It can also be complete loss, or deafness, or a loss much less severe, yet still intrusive into one’s life. Hearing loss is classified into two categories – conductive or sensorineural (or nerve deafness). Here are some of the more common causes in both categories:
Conductive Hearing Loss:
Conductive hearing loss is sometimes temporary and can often be corrected. Conductive loss stems from problems of the outer or middle ear and can be caused by:
Infection
Otosclerosis (a hereditary disorder causing progressive deafness due to overgrowth of bone in the inner ear)
Build-up of wax or fluid
Punctured eardrum
Malfunction of outer ear, ear canal, or middle ear structures
Allergies
Poor Eustachian tube function
Benign tumors
Foreign body in the ear
Sensorineural Hearing Loss / Nerve Deafness:
Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type of hearing loss. It can be treated with hearing aids, and occasionally, surgery. Some causes:
Exposure to loud noise
Head trauma
Virus or disease
Autoimmune inner ear disease
Hearing loss that runs in the family
Aging (Presbycusis)
Malformation of the inner ear
Meniere’s Disease
Otosclerosis - a hereditary disorder in which a bony growth forms around a small bone in the middle ear, preventing it from vibrating when stimulated by sound.
Tumors
Problems with the cochlea and the auditory nerve
Now that we know the causes and risk factors, what are the warnings signs that hearing may be fading?
Here are the most common warning signs, according to Beltone, a global leader in hearing health care, and one of the largest manufacturers of hearing instruments:
You think other people sound muffled or are mumbling.
You require frequent repetition.
You have difficulty hearing in noisy situations, like restaurants and malls.
You have trouble hearing children's and women's voices.
You have the TV and radio turned up to a high volume.
You answer or respond inappropriately in conversations.
You read lips or more intently watch people's faces when they speak to you.
You are often accused by others that you "only hear what you want to hear" and have "selective listening."
You are told to "forget it" by family and friends who get frustrated when they have to repeat themselves.
You have been told that you speak too loudly.
You feel stressed from straining to hear what others are saying.
You feel annoyed at other people because you can't hear or understand them.
You feel embarrassed to meet new people or from misunderstanding what others are saying.
You feel nervous about trying to hear and understand.
You start to withdraw from social situations that you once enjoyed because of difficulty hearing.
Whether the hearing loss is partial, complete, temporary or permanent, research and technology has brought us diagnostic improvements and hearing aid options that are suited to individual types of hearing loss. If you suspect there is a problem with your hearing, make an appointment with a hearing care practitioner or audiologist for a hearing test. You could also see your physician. Make a commitment, today, to turn up the sound and clarity in your world.
This story is part of an ongoing series between GoLocal and Beltone - a sponsored content series.
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