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Hearing loss
HEARING IMPAIRME...
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Definition

Hearing loss is the total or partial inability to hear sound in one or both ears.

See also: Hearing loss of aging   

Alternative Names

Decreased hearing; Deafness; Loss of hearing; Conductive hearing loss; Sensorineural hearing loss

Considerations

Minor decreases in hearing are common after age 20.

Hearing problems usually come on gradually, and rarely end in complete deafness.

There are many causes of hearing loss. Hearing loss can be divided into two main categories:

  • Conductive hearing loss (CHL) occurs because of a mechanical problem in the outer or middle ear. The three tiny bones of the ear (ossicles) may not conduct sound properly, or the eardrum may not vibrate in response to sound. Fluid in the middle ear can cause this type of hearing loss.
  • Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) results when there is a problem with the inner ear. It most often occurs when the tiny hair cells (nerve endings) that transmit sound through the ear are injured, diseased, do not function properly, or have prematurely died. This type of hearing loss is sometimes called "nerve damage," although this is not accurate.

CHL is often reversible. SNHL is not. People who have both forms of hearing loss are said to have mixed hearing loss.

HEARING LOSS IN CHILDREN

Screening for hearing loss is now recommended for all newborns. In children, hearing problems may cause speech to develop slowly.

Ear infections are the most common cause of temporary hearing loss in children. Fluid may stay in the ear following an ear infection. The fluid can go unnoticed, or it can cause significant hearing problems in children. Any fluid that remains longer than 8 - 12 weeks is cause for concern.

Preventing hearing loss is more effective than treating it after the damage is done.

Common Causes

Genetic:

Congenital:

Infectious:

Traumatic:

Toxic:

  • Aminoglycoside antibiotics
  • Aspirin
  • Chloroquine
  • Ethacrynic acid - oral
  • Quinidine

Age-related:

Occupational:

  • Working around loud noises on a continuous day-to-day basis can damage nerve cells responsible for hearing; Increased attention to conditions in the work environment has greatly decreased the chances of work-related hearing loss. See: Occupational hearing loss

Other:

Temporary hearing loss can be caused by:

Reviewer Info: Alan Lipkin, MD, Otolaryngologist, Private Practice, Denver, Colorado. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. , 04/13/2009