There are many hearing loss causes. The most common types of loss include nerve damage, conductive hearing loss. health related, and noise induced
Sensorineural Hearing Loss or Nerve Damage Hearing Loss
Most common hearing loss causes include:
- Presbycusis: age-related hearing loss
- Noise induced hearing loss (more on this below)
- Sudden Hearing Loss
- Auto-Immune hearing loss
- Medical conditions associated with hearing loss: stroke, diabetes, ototoxic medications
Conductive Hearing Loss
Health Related Hearing Loss Causes
- a virus or bacteria
- heart conditions or stroke
- head injuries
- tumor
- certain medicines
- diabetes
- and hypertension
Then there are the factors of which we have little control, like:
- age [also known as presbycusis (prez-buh-KYOO-sis)]
- and heredity, or a family history of hearing issues
Noise-induced Hearing Loss
Taking care of your hearing is important, especially since we now live in such a noisy world. Whether you live in a big city, like New York City, the suburbs or a rural area, technology can provide many opportunities for damaging your hearing. Here at NYOG we are often asked how you can prevent hearing loss.
There are many things you can do, like wearing earplugs when you know you are going to be in a situation where noise levels are extreme, or avoiding these situations altogether, as well as being responsible with the volume levels of your music devices and television.
Here are some examples of situations to be on the look out for where noise can be an issue to your hearing health:
Extreme volume at:
- music concerts
- sporting events
- surround-sound stereo systems
- car alarms
- motorcycles, trucks, airplanes and other vehicles
- construction noise (jackhammers, drills, saws, etc…)
- portable music players (i.e. ipods)
- anytime you are using headphones
Continued exposure to these and other excessive environmental noise is a major contributor to hearing loss.
Some professions that are often associated with noise-induced hearing loss are:
- construction workers
- farm workers
- musicians, concert stagehands or roadies
- airport workers
- tree cutters and lumber workers
- employees and soldiers in the armed forces
Click here to read about Hearing Preservation for Musicians. This protocol can be applied to any profession in which extreme noise is an issue.
If you are experiencing hearing loss in one or both ears, or if you have a constant ringing [also known as tinnitus (tin-NY-tus)] or any pain or ache, come in to see us. Whether environmental, health-related or genetic, our docs will get to the root of the problem and provide solutions. We are here to answer any and all of your questions because at NYOG…we are here to clear things up.
