What Causes Hearing Impairment?

The most common cause of conductive hearing loss in kids and teens is otitis media , which is the medical term for an ear infection that affects the middle ear. Ear infections cause a buildup of fluid or pus behind the eardrum, which can block the transmission of sound. Even after the infection gets better, fluid might stay in the middle ear for weeks or even months, causing difficulty in hearing. But this fluid is usually temporary, and whether it goes away on its own (which is usually the case) or with the help of medications, once it's gone a person's hearing returns to normal. Blockages in the ear, such as a foreign object, impacted earwax or dirt, or fluid due to colds and allergies , can also cause conductive hearing loss.



Noise Levels

People also get conductive hearing loss when key parts of the ear - the eardrum, ear canal, or ossicles - are damaged.
For example, a tear or hole in the eardrum can interfere with its ability to vibrate properly.
Causes of this damage may include inserting an object such as a cotton swab too far into the ear, a sudden explosion or other loud noise, a sudden change in air pressure, a head injury, or repeated ear infections.

Sensorineural hearing impairment results from problems with or damage to the inner ear or the auditory nerve. Its causes include:

  • Genetic disorders . Some genetic (inherited) disorders interfere with the proper development of the inner ear and the auditory nerve.
  • Injuries to the ear or head. Injuries such as a skull fracture can cause hearing loss.
  • Complications during pregnancy or birth. Some babies are born with hearing impairment due to infections or illnesses that the mother had while she was pregnant, which can interfere with the development of the inner ear. Premature babies are also at higher risk for hearing impairment.
  • Infections or illnesses. Certain conditions, such as repeated ear infections, mumps, measles, chickenpox, and brain tumors, can damage the structures of the inner ear.
  • Medications. Certain medications, such as some antibiotics and chemotherapy  drugs, can cause hearing loss.
  • Loud noise. A sudden loud noise or exposure to high noise levels over time can cause permanent damage to the tiny hairs in the cochlea, which then can't transmit sounds as effectively as they did before.
"I have always thought it would be a blessing if each person could be blind and deaf for a few days during his early adult life.
Darkness would make him appreciate sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound"

© - Site Seeing - Sonny, Lotje, Laurette en Femke, The Netherlands 2006