What are the biggest causes of Hearing Loss?
- It’s in the genes – some people inherit hearing loss from their parents. It may result from problems during pregnancy or birth.
- It’s a natural part of ageing – just like the rest of your body, your hearing can deteriorate over time through ‘wear and tear’.
- Exposure to loud noise – workplaces can be noisy. Even listening to your favourite music too loud can damage the tiny hair and nerve cells in your ear. This prevents sound signals being sent to the brain, and results in hearing loss.
- Illness can cause hearing loss – an infection or a damaged ear-drum can affect your hearing temporarily – or for good. Abnormal bone growths or tumours will also impact on your hearing if left untreated.
- Wax build-up – the wax in your ear has a protective purpose, but sometimes too much wax can build-up and block the ear. This is usually a temporary issue. Once the wax is removed, hearing is restored.
- Certain medication and chemicals can damage your hearing – some antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs are known to damage people’s hearing. Common drugs such as aspirin can also affect hearing if taken in high doses.
- Physical damage – a sudden loud noise, a change in air pressure, being overenthusiastic with a cotton bud. All these can rupture the ear drum and affect your hearing.