Causes and Symptoms of Hearing loss

Hearing loss that occurs gradually as you age (presbycusis) is common. About 25 percent of people in the United States between the ages of 55 and 64 have some degree of hearing loss. For those older than 65, the number of people with some hearing loss is almost 1 in 2.

Aging and chronic exposure to loud noises are significant factors that contribute to hearing loss. Other factors, such as excessive earwax, can temporarily prevent your ears from conducting sounds as well as they should.

You can't reverse most types of hearing loss. However, you don't have to live in a world of muted, less distinct sounds. You and your doctor or a hearing specialist can take steps to improve what you hear.

Causes

Damage to the inner ear. Aging and exposure to loud noise may cause wear and tear on the hairs or nerve cells in the cochlea that send sound signals to the brain.

A gradual buildup of earwax. Earwax can block the ear canal and prevent conduction of sound waves. This can be restored with earwax removal.

Ear infection and abnormal bone growths or tumors.?In the outer or middle ear, any of these can cause hearing loss.

Ruptured eardrum (tympanic membrane perforation). Loud blasts of noise, sudden changes in pressure, poking your eardrum with an object and infection can cause your eardrum to rupture and affect your hearing.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of hearing loss may include:

Muffling of speech and other sounds

Difficulty understanding words, especially against background noise or in a crowd of people

Trouble hearing consonants

Frequently asking others to speak more slowly, clearly and loudly

Needing to turn up the volume of the television or radio

Withdrawal from conversations

Avoidance of some social settings

When to see a doctor

If you have a sudden loss of hearing, particularly in one ear, seek immediate medical attention.

Talk to your doctor if difficulty hearing is interfering with your daily life. Your hearing may have deteriorated if:

You find that it's harder to understand everything that's said in conversation, especially when there's background noise

Sounds seem muffled

You find yourself having to turn the volume higher when you listen to music, the radio or television