Most of us take our hearing for granted unless we begin to lose it. Losing your hearing can be frustrating and even dangerous. Hearing makes it possible for us to pay attention to loved ones, enjoy the dialog in movies and heed warning sirens. If it's increasingly difficult to hear high-pitched sounds or if conversations seem muffled and indistinct, talk to your doctor or an audiologist. A hearing aid or cochlear implant may be an option.
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Exposure to loud noise is a major culprit in hearing loss. The inner ear contains delicate cells called hair cells, which can be damaged by loud noise. Hair cells are responsible for converting sound into electrical impulses and then transmitting the neural impulses to the brain. The body doesn't have the capacity to repair or replace hair cells once they are damaged, and hearing loss or complete deafness may result.
Noise-induced hearing loss can result from a single instant of very loud noise, such as an explosion. It can also result from exposure to loud noise over time, such as listening daily to loud music through headphones. If the exposure to noise is over time, the hearing loss will be experienced gradually. Speech becomes increasingly difficult to understand, and sounds become muffled. Limiting your exposure to loud noise can pay off in better hearing.
Aging
Hearing loss associated with aging is known as presbycusis. Presbycusis often affects sounds in higher registers. A person with presbycusis might be able to hear the low rumble of a truck passing by, but not the chirping of a bird. Presbycusis also can make it difficult to understand speech, especially when there is background noise.
According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, presbycusis affects about one-third of all adults between 65 and 75 years old, and about half of those over 75. It can be caused by abnormalities in the blood supply to the ear due to high blood pressure and certain other diseases. It can also be caused by noise exposure or abnormalities in the middle or outer ear.
Exposure to Toxins
A variety of drugs and chemicals can damage structures in the inner ear and result in temporary or permanent hearing loss, according to the Vestibular Disorders Association. This phenomenon is called ototoxicity, which translates as "ear poisoning." Environmental chemicals, over-the-counter drugs and prescription medicines, including certain antibiotics, diuretics, and anti-cancer drugs, may cause ototoxicity. There's currently no cure for ototoxicity, but hearing aids or cochlear implants can restore hearing in some patients.
