There are various causes of hearing impairment among adults such as:
Ménière’s disease
An inner ear problem with causes not fully known yet, Ménière’s disease starts between the age of 30-50 leading to sensorineural hearing loss. The person may experience dizziness and tinnitus, sensitivity to loud sounds, with fluctuating hearing loss which over time may become permanent.
Otosclerosis
This is a disease of the middle ear in which the tiny bones of the middle ear find it harder to move, leading to conductive hearing loss. This is a condition that is often treatable surgically.
Autoimmune inner ear disease
Autoimmune disorders are ones where your body begins to attack itself. When this happens to the inner ear, the patient experiences a sudden loss of hearing. If you suddenly lose your hearing, you need to immediately seek medical treatment as it can keep the hearing loss to a minimum.
Hearing very loud noise
Loud noise can affect hearing in two ways. A continuous exposure to loud noise, such as say, in noisy work environments, could lead to gradual permanent hearing loss over time. Then again, hearing an extremely loud sound such as a bomb explosion can cause sudden hearing loss.
Physical Injury to the Head
A hole in the eardrum, physical damage to the middle ear, or Traumatic Brain Injury can end up leading to hearing loss.
Ototoxic medications
Certain medicines can induce hearing loss, and if you are feeling such side effects, you should talk to your doctor. Some such medicines include ones taken for managing blood pressure and sugar levels, aminoglycoside antibiotics (streptomycin, kanamycin, neomycin), aspirin taken in large amounts, chemotherapy drugs, and loop diuretics (Lasix, ethacrynic acid).
Acoustic neuroma
This is a type of tumor which may lead to tinnitus, a feeling of your ears being full, as well as hearing loss. Medical treatment is essential for treating acoustic neuroma.
Presbycusis.
This type of sensorineural hearing loss occurs due to aging. Due to this, people slowly begin to hear muffled or unclear speech, and have to ask people to repeat themselves. They also need to set the volume of electronic devices such as television to a level much higher than what normal people require.
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