While the thought of diminishing your ability to hear may sound troubling, it is more common than you might realize — with one out of three people experiencing a hearing impairment by the time they reach 65. Here are the most common causes for the loss of hearing that you should be aware of.
1. Damaged Inner Ear
The aging process and loud noises damage your inner ear. The two cause wear and tear on the nerves responsible for transmitting auditory signals to your brain. Loss of hair in the cochlea results in the inefficient travel of sound — resulting in hearing loss. In essence, the path between your ear and your brain gets blocked. This type of hearing loss is referred to as “sensorineural hearing loss.”
Unfortunately, there is not a way yet to repair a damaged inner ear. However, there are ways to improve the situation through the use of hearing aids like those made by Helix Hearing Care and other specialists. A good hearing aid will allow you continue with your life without the distraction caused by a constant hearing impairment.
2. Massive Earwax
Earwax can obstruct your hearing path — leading to hearing loss. The obstruction occurs on the outer or middle ear — preventing sound from passing. Earwax can build up for various reasons. Some examples are from infectious diseases, such as swimmer’s ear, that can cause excessive earwax. Other causes include skin diseases and autoimmune diseases. An injury can also cause earwax buildup. Fortunately, it is easy to remove excessive earwax. However, you should be careful with the kind of removal tool that you use because you do not want to injure your ear and cause more harm.
3. Ruptured Eardrum
No one would ever want to experience an eardrum rupture. However, you can easily cause eardrum damage depending on your daily activities and choice of recreational activities. There are various causes of eardrum rupture. The most common cause is a loud blast. Activities such as firearms and jet noise can cause eardrum rupture as well.
Also note that poking your ear more often with sharp objects can be dangerous — whether it’s on purpose or by accident. You can easily damage your eardrum — as it has very soft tissue that can be damaged by foreign objects.
Your eardrum is able to heal within a few weeks. Your doctor can also prescribe antibiotics to prevent further infection. However, if your eardrum has a hole — you may need to undergo surgery to close it up.
4. Medication
Pharmaceuticals are useful for they help us to relieve pain and treat diseases, but some do have side effects — including causing hearing loss. The antibiotic gentamicin, chemotherapy drugs, and even Viagra can cause hearing loss by damaging the inner ear. Also note that a high aspirin intake, some pain relievers, and antimalarial drugs can cause ringing in the ear or hearing loss.
Therefore, it is essential to look at the side effects of any drugs that you are taking. The hearing loss caused by the use of drugs is usually not permanent, fortunately. It will end when you have finished taking the medication.
Final Thoughts
Hearing loss can have a bigger impact on your life than you might realize. There are effective steps you can take to prevent hearing loss. And in an untreatable case, such as a damaged inner ear, a hearing aid can make a big difference. Take care of your ears by:
- Using earplugs in places with loud noises
- Keeping the volume down
- Not using cotton swabs in the ears
- Using medications as directed
- Keeping your ears dry and clean
- Getting regular checkups
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