Age, genetics, and ear damage are among the most common causes of hearing loss.

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Communication Disorders, 1 in 8 Americans has hearing loss in both ears. However, there are three common types of hearing loss.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1.7 out of 1,000 babies tested for hearing loss have hearing loss. Hereditary hearing loss is the most common cause of hearing loss in young children. Age-related hearing loss is becoming more common in adults, with 8.5% of adults between the ages of 55 and 64 experiencing hearing loss. Knowing the common causes of hearing loss will help you get treatment as soon as possible.

Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type of hearing loss. This happens when the inner ear, auditory nerves, or auditory structures in the brain are damaged. According to a 2017 article published in the journal Gene Reviews, hearing loss that occurs in childhood before a child can speak is sensorineural and usually genetic. Ritholtz says the most common cause of sensorineural hearing loss in adults is aging. This type of hearing loss occurs in the inner ear when tiny hair cells are damaged. The cells do not grow back, so the damage is permanent. While genetic and age-related changes in the ear play a role, exposure to extremely loud sounds also plays a role.

Conductive hearing loss

Conductive hearing loss is hearing loss that results from damage or blockage of the outer or middle ear. According to Rothholz, the most common cause of conductive hearing loss is a wax buildup that interferes with sound. Other types of hearing loss include:

Otosclerosis: This causes the bone to grow from the cochlea to the roof of the middle ear, making hearing difficult.

Coleman occurs when tissue grows that shouldn't be in the ear. Sometimes it appears at birth. It can also occur through chronic otitis media or a hole in the eardrum. mixed hearing loss

Mixed hearing loss - conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. In this type of hearing loss, physical damage or blockage of the ear exacerbates hereditary or age-related hearing loss. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, an example of a mixed hearing loss might be hearing loss because it processes loud sounds and has fluid in the middle ear. When both are together, more hearing loss can occur than when only one of them is a problem.

Start your journey to better hearing today. Hearing loss is treatable and sometimes reversible. Take the time to get the answers and healing that are right for you. Do not wait. Get started now.