The word hearing loss

This article is about the medical aspects of hearing loss. For the cultural aspects, see Deaf culture.

Hearing loss
Other names	Deaf or hard of hearing; anakusis or anacusis is total deafness[1]
The international symbol of deafness and hearing loss
Specialty	Otorhinolaryngology, audiology
Symptoms	Decreased ability to hear
Complications	Social isolation,[2] dementia
Types	Conductive, sensorineural, and mixed hearing loss, central auditory dysfunction[3]
Causes	Genetics, aging, exposure to noise, some infections, birth complications, trauma to the ear, certain medications or toxins[2]
Diagnostic method	Hearing tests
Prevention	Immunization, proper care around pregnancy, avoiding loud noise, avoiding certain medications[2]
Treatment	Hearing aids, sign language, cochlear implants, subtitles[2]
Frequency	1.33 billion / 18.5% (2015)[4]

Hearing loss is a partial or total inability to hear.^[5] Hearing loss may be present at birth or acquired at any time afterwards.^[6][7] Hearing loss may occur in one or both ears.^[2] In children, hearing problems can affect the ability to acquire spoken language, and in adults it can create difficulties with social interaction and at work.^[8] Hearing loss can be temporary or permanent. Hearing loss related to age usually affects both ears and is due to cochlear hair cell loss.^[9] In some people, particularly older people, hearing loss can result in loneliness.^[2] Deaf people usually have little to no hearing.^[6]

Hearing loss may be caused by a number of factors, including: genetics, ageing, exposure to noise, some infections, birth complications, trauma to the ear, and certain medications or toxins.^[2] A common condition that results in hearing loss is chronic ear infections.^[2] Certain infections during pregnancy, such as cytomegalovirus, syphilis and rubella, may also cause hearing loss in the child.^[2][10] Hearing loss is diagnosed when hearing testing finds that a person is unable to hear 25 decibels in at least one ear.^[2] Testing for poor hearing is recommended for all newborns.^[8] Hearing loss can be categorized as mild (25 to 40 dB), moderate (41 to 55 dB), moderate-severe (56 to 70 dB), severe (71 to 90 dB), or profound (greater than 90 dB).^[2] There are three main types of hearing loss: conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, and mixed hearing loss.^[3]

About half of hearing loss globally is preventable through public health measures.^[2] Such practices include immunization, proper care around pregnancy, avoiding loud noise, and avoiding certain medications.^[2] The World Health Organization recommends that young people limit exposure to loud sounds and the use of personal audio players to an hour a day in an effort to limit exposure to noise.^[11] Early identification and support are particularly important in children.^[2] For many, hearing aids, sign language, cochlear implants and subtitles are useful.^[2] Lip reading is another useful skill some develop.^[2] Access to hearing aids, however, is limited in many areas of the world.^[2]

As of 2013 hearing loss affects about 1.1 billion people to some degree.^[12] It causes disability in about 466 million people (5% of the global population), and moderate to severe disability in 124 million people.^[2][13][14] Of those with moderate to severe disability 108 million live in low and middle income countries.^[13] Of those with hearing loss, it began during childhood for 65 million.^[15] Those who use sign language and are members of Deaf culture may see themselves as having a difference rather than a disability.^[16] Many members of Deaf culture oppose attempts to cure deafness^[17][18][19] and some within this community view cochlear implants with concern as they have the potential to eliminate their culture.^[20] The terms hearing impairment or hearing loss are often viewed negatively as emphasizing what people cannot do, although the terms are still regularly used when referring to deafness in medical contexts.^[16][21]

Definition[edit]

• Hearing loss is defined as diminished acuity to sounds which would otherwise be heard normally.^[15] The terms hearing impaired or hard of hearing are usually reserved for people who have relative inability to hear sound in the speech frequencies. Hearing loss occurs when sound waves enter the ears and damage the sensitive tissues^[22] The severity of hearing loss is categorized according to the increase in intensity of sound above the usual level required for the listener to detect it.
• Deafness is defined as a degree of loss such that a person is unable to understand speech, even in the presence of amplification.^[15] In profound deafness, even the highest intensity sounds produced by an audiometer (an instrument used to measure hearing by producing pure tone sounds through a range of frequencies) may not be detected. In total deafness, no sounds at all, regardless of amplification or method of production, can be heard.
• Speech perception is another aspect of hearing which involves the perceived clarity of a word rather than the intensity of sound made by the word. In humans, this is usually measured with speech discrimination tests, which measure not only the ability to detect sound, but also the ability to understand speech. There are very rare types of hearing loss that affect speech discrimination alone. One example is auditory neuropathy, a variety of hearing loss in which the outer hair cells of the cochlea are intact and functioning, but sound information is not faithfully transmitted by the auditory nerve to the brain.^[23]

Use of the terms «hearing impaired», «deaf-mute», or «deaf and dumb» to describe deaf and hard of hearing people is discouraged by many in the deaf community as well as advocacy organizations, as they are offensive to many deaf and hard of hearing people.^[24][25]

Hearing standards[edit]

Human hearing extends in frequency from 20 to 20,000 Hz, and in intensity from 0 dB to 120 dB HL or more. 0 dB does not represent absence of sound, but rather the softest sound an average unimpaired human ear can hear; some people can hear down to −5 or even −10 dB. Sound is generally uncomfortably loud above 90 dB and 115 dB represents the threshold of pain. The ear does not hear all frequencies equally well: hearing sensitivity peaks around 3,000 Hz. There are many qualities of human hearing besides frequency range and intensity that cannot easily be measured quantitatively. However, for many practical purposes, normal hearing is defined by a frequency versus intensity graph, or audiogram, charting sensitivity thresholds of hearing at defined frequencies. Because of the cumulative impact of age and exposure to noise and other acoustic insults, ‘typical’ hearing may not be normal.^[26][27]

Signs and symptoms[edit]

• difficulty using the telephone
• loss of sound localization
• difficulty understanding speech, especially of children and women whose voices are of a higher frequency.
• difficulty understanding speech in the presence of background noise (cocktail party effect)
• sounds or speech sounding dull, muffled or attenuated
• need for increased volume on television, radio, music and other audio sources

Hearing loss is sensory, but may have accompanying symptoms:

• pain or pressure in the ears
• a blocked feeling

There may also be accompanying secondary symptoms:

• hyperacusis, heightened sensitivity with accompanying auditory pain to certain intensities and frequencies of sound, sometimes defined as «auditory recruitment»
• tinnitus, ringing, buzzing, hissing or other sounds in the ear when no external sound is present
• vertigo and disequilibrium
• tympanophonia, also known as autophonia, abnormal hearing of one’s own voice and respiratory sounds, usually as a result of a patulous (a constantly open) eustachian tube or dehiscent superior semicircular canals
• disturbances of facial movement (indicating a possible tumour or stroke) or in persons with Bell’s palsy

Complications[edit]

Hearing loss is associated with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.^[28] The risk increases with the hearing loss degree. There are several hypotheses including cognitive resources being redistributed to hearing and social isolation from hearing loss having a negative effect.^[29] According to preliminary data, hearing aid usage can slow down the decline in cognitive functions.^[30]

Hearing loss is responsible for causing thalamocortical dysrthymia in the brain which is a cause for several neurological disorders including tinnitus and visual snow syndrome.

Cognitive decline[edit]

Hearing loss is an increasing concern especially in aging populations. The prevalence of hearing loss increases about two-fold for each decade increase in age after age 40.^[31] While the secular trend might decrease individual level risk of developing hearing loss, the prevalence of hearing loss is expected to rise due to the aging population in the US. Another concern about aging process is cognitive decline, which may progress to mild cognitive impairment and eventually dementia.^[32] The association between hearing loss and cognitive decline has been studied in various research settings. Despite the variability in study design and protocols, the majority of these studies have found consistent association between age-related hearing loss and cognitive decline, cognitive impairment, and dementia.^[33] The association between age-related hearing loss and Alzheimer’s disease was found to be nonsignificant, and this finding supports the hypothesis that hearing loss is associated with dementia independent of Alzheimer pathology.^[33] There are several hypothesis about the underlying causal mechanism for age-related hearing loss and cognitive decline. One hypothesis is that this association can be explained by common etiology or shared neurobiological pathology with decline in other physiological system.^[34] Another possible cognitive mechanism emphasize on individual’s cognitive load. As people developing hearing loss in the process of aging, the cognitive load demanded by auditory perception increases, which may lead to change in brain structure and eventually to dementia.^[35] One other hypothesis suggests that the association between hearing loss and cognitive decline is mediated through various psychosocial factors, such as decrease in social contact and increase in social isolation.^[34] Findings on the association between hearing loss and dementia have significant public health implication, since about 9% of dementia cases are associated with hearing loss.^[36]

Falls[edit]

Falls have important health implications, especially for an aging population where they can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of injuries caused by falls, since older individuals typically have greater bone fragility and poorer protective reflexes.^[37] Fall-related injury can also lead to burdens on the financial and health care systems.^[37] In literature, age-related hearing loss is found to be significantly associated with incident falls.^[38] There is also a potential dose-response relationship between hearing loss and falls—greater severity of hearing loss is associated with increased difficulties in postural control and increased prevalence of falls.^[39] The underlying causal link between the association of hearing loss and falls is yet to be elucidated. There are several hypotheses that indicate that there may be a common process between decline in auditory system and increase in incident falls, driven by physiological, cognitive, and behavioral factors.^[39] This evidence suggests that treating hearing loss has potential to increase health-related quality of life in older adults.^[39]

Depression[edit]

Depression is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In older adults, the suicide rate is higher than it is for younger adults, and more suicide cases are attributable to depression.^[40] Different studies have been done to investigate potential risk factors that can give rise to depression in later life. Some chronic diseases are found to be significantly associated with risk of developing depression, such as coronary heart disease, pulmonary disease, vision loss and hearing loss.^[41] Hearing loss can attribute to decrease in health-related quality of life, increase in social isolation and decline in social engagement, which are all risk factors for increased risk of developing depression symptoms.^[42]

Spoken language ability[edit]

Post-lingual deafness is hearing loss that is sustained after the acquisition of language, which can occur due to disease, trauma, or as a side-effect of a medicine. Typically, hearing loss is gradual and often detected by family and friends of affected individuals long before the patients themselves will acknowledge the disability.^[43] Post-lingual deafness is far more common than pre-lingual deafness. Those who lose their hearing later in life, such as in late adolescence or adulthood, face their own challenges, living with the adaptations that allow them to live independently.

Prelingual deafness is profound hearing loss that is sustained before the acquisition of language, which can occur due to a congenital condition or through hearing loss before birth or in early infancy. Prelingual deafness impairs an individual’s ability to acquire a spoken language in children, but deaf children can acquire spoken language through support from cochlear implants (sometimes combined with hearing aids).^[44][45] Non-signing (hearing) parents of deaf babies (90–95% of cases) usually go with oral approach without the support of sign language, as these families lack previous experience with sign language and cannot competently provide it to their children without learning it themselves. Unfortunately, this may in some cases (late implantation or not sufficient benefit from cochlear implants) bring the risk of language deprivation for the deaf baby^[46] because the deaf baby would not have a sign language if the child is unable to acquire spoken language successfully. The 5–10% of cases of deaf babies born into signing families have the potential of age-appropriate development of language due to early exposure to a sign language by sign-competent parents, thus they have the potential to meet language milestones, in sign language in lieu of spoken language.^[47]

Causes[edit]

Hearing loss has multiple causes, including ageing, genetics, perinatal problems and acquired causes like noise and disease. For some kinds of hearing loss the cause may be classified as of unknown cause.

There is a progressive loss of ability to hear high frequencies with aging known as presbycusis. For men, this can start as early as 25 and women at 30. Although genetically variable, it is a normal concomitant of ageing and is distinct from hearing losses caused by noise exposure, toxins or disease agents.^[48] Common conditions that can increase the risk of hearing loss in elderly people are high blood pressure, diabetes, or the use of certain medications harmful to the ear.^[49][50] While everyone loses hearing with age, the amount and type of hearing loss is variable.^[51]

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), also known as acoustic trauma, typically manifests as elevated hearing thresholds (i.e. less sensitivity or muting). Noise exposure is the cause of approximately half of all cases of hearing loss, causing some degree of problems in 5% of the population globally.^[52] The majority of hearing loss is not due to age, but due to noise exposure.^[53] Various governmental, industry and standards organizations set noise standards.^[54] Many people are unaware of the presence of environmental sound at damaging levels, or of the level at which sound becomes harmful. Common sources of damaging noise levels include car stereos, children’s toys, motor vehicles, crowds, lawn and maintenance equipment, power tools, gun use, musical instruments, and even hair dryers. Noise damage is cumulative; all sources of damage must be considered to assess risk. In the US, 12.5% of children aged 6–19 years have permanent hearing damage from excessive noise exposure.^[55] The World Health Organization estimates that half of those between 12 and 35 are at risk from using personal audio devices that are too loud.^[11] Hearing loss in adolescents may be caused by loud noise from toys, music by headphones, and concerts or events.^[56][57]

Hearing loss can be inherited. Around 75–80% of all these cases are inherited by recessive genes, 20–25% are inherited by dominant genes, 1–2% are inherited by X-linked patterns, and fewer than 1% are inherited by mitochondrial inheritance.^[58] Syndromic deafness occurs when there are other signs or medical problems aside from deafness in an individual,^[58] such as Usher syndrome, Stickler syndrome, Waardenburg syndrome, Alport’s syndrome, and neurofibromatosis type 2. Nonsyndromic deafness occurs when there are no other signs or medical problems associated with the deafness in an individual.^[58]

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are reported to cause hearing loss in up to 64% of infants born to alcoholic mothers, from the ototoxic effect on the developing fetus plus malnutrition during pregnancy from the excess alcohol intake. Premature birth can be associated with sensorineural hearing loss because of an increased risk of hypoxia, hyperbilirubinaemia, ototoxic medication and infection as well as noise exposure in the neonatal units. Also, hearing loss in premature babies is often discovered far later than a similar hearing loss would be in a full-term baby because normally babies are given a hearing test within 48 hours of birth, but doctors must wait until the premature baby is medically stable before testing hearing, which can be months after birth.^[59] The risk of hearing loss is greatest for those weighing less than 1500 g at birth.

Disorders responsible for hearing loss include auditory neuropathy,^[60][61] Down syndrome,^[62] Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease variant 1E,^[63] autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis, meningitis, cholesteatoma, otosclerosis, perilymph fistula, Ménière’s disease, recurring ear infections, strokes, superior semicircular canal dehiscence, Pierre Robin, Treacher-Collins, Usher Syndrome, Pendred Syndrome, and Turner syndrome, syphilis, vestibular schwannoma, and viral infections such as measles, mumps, congenital rubella (also called German measles) syndrome, several varieties of herpes viruses,^[64][65] HIV/AIDS,^[66] and West Nile virus.

Some medications may reversibly affect hearing. These medications are considered ototoxic. This includes loop diuretics such as furosemide and bumetanide, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) both over-the-counter (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen) as well as prescription (celecoxib, diclofenac, etc.), paracetamol, quinine, and macrolide antibiotics.^[67] Others may cause permanent hearing loss.^[68] The most important group is the aminoglycosides (main member gentamicin) and platinum based chemotherapeutics such as cisplatin and carboplatin.^[69][70]

In addition to medications, hearing loss can also result from specific chemicals in the environment: metals, such as lead; solvents, such as toluene (found in crude oil, gasoline^[71] and automobile exhaust,^[71] for example); and asphyxiants.^[72] Combined with noise, these ototoxic chemicals have an additive effect on a person’s hearing loss.^[72] Hearing loss due to chemicals starts in the high frequency range and is irreversible. It damages the cochlea with lesions and degrades central portions of the auditory system.^[72] For some ototoxic chemical exposures, particularly styrene,^[73] the risk of hearing loss can be higher than being exposed to noise alone. The effects is greatest when the combined exposure include impulse noise.^[74][75] A 2018 informational bulletin by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) introduces the issue, provides examples of ototoxic chemicals, lists the industries and occupations at risk and provides prevention information.^[76]

There can be damage either to the ear, whether the external or middle ear, to the cochlea, or to the brain centers that process the aural information conveyed by the ears. Damage to the middle ear may include fracture and discontinuity of the ossicular chain.^[77][78] Damage to the inner ear (cochlea) may be caused by temporal bone fracture. People who sustain head injury are especially vulnerable to hearing loss or tinnitus, either temporary or permanent.^[79][80]

Pathophysiology[edit]

Sound waves reach the outer ear and are conducted down the ear canal to the eardrum, causing it to vibrate. The vibrations are transferred by the 3 tiny ear bones of the middle ear to the fluid in the inner ear. The fluid moves hair cells (stereocilia), and their movement generates nerve impulses which are then taken to the brain by the cochlear nerve.^[81][82] The auditory nerve takes the impulses to the brainstem, which sends the impulses to the midbrain. Finally, the signal goes to the auditory cortex of the temporal lobe to be interpreted as sound.^[83]

Hearing loss is most commonly caused by long-term exposure to loud noises, from recreation or from work, that damage the hair cells, which do not grow back on their own.^[84][85][9]

Older people may lose their hearing from long exposure to noise, changes in the inner ear, changes in the middle ear, or from changes along the nerves from the ear to the brain.^[86]

Diagnosis[edit]

Identification of a hearing loss is usually conducted by a general practitioner medical doctor, otolaryngologist, certified and licensed audiologist, school or industrial audiometrist, or other audiometric technician. Diagnosis of the cause of a hearing loss is carried out by a specialist physician (audiovestibular physician) or otorhinolaryngologist.

Hearing loss is generally measured by playing generated or recorded sounds, and determining whether the person can hear them. Hearing sensitivity varies according to the frequency of sounds. To take this into account, hearing sensitivity can be measured for a range of frequencies and plotted on an audiogram. Other method for quantifying hearing loss is a hearing test using a mobile application or hearing aid application, which includes a hearing test.^[87][88] Hearing diagnosis using mobile application is similar to the audiometry procedure.^[87] Audiograms, obtained using mobile applications, can be used to adjust hearing aid applications.^[88] Another method for quantifying hearing loss is a speech-in-noise test. which gives an indication of how well one can understand speech in a noisy environment.^[89] Otoacoustic emissions test is an objective hearing test that may be administered to toddlers and children too young to cooperate in a conventional hearing test. Auditory brainstem response testing is an electrophysiological test used to test for hearing deficits caused by pathology within the ear, the cochlear nerve and also within the brainstem.

A case history (usually a written form, with questionnaire) can provide valuable information about the context of the hearing loss, and indicate what kind of diagnostic procedures to employ. Examinations include otoscopy, tympanometry, and differential testing with the Weber, Rinne, Bing and Schwabach tests. In case of infection or inflammation, blood or other body fluids may be submitted for laboratory analysis. MRI and CT scans can be useful to identify the pathology of many causes of hearing loss.

Hearing loss is categorized by severity, type, and configuration. Furthermore, a hearing loss may exist in only one ear (unilateral) or in both ears (bilateral). Hearing loss can be temporary or permanent, sudden or progressive. The severity of a hearing loss is ranked according to ranges of nominal thresholds in which a sound must be so it can be detected by an individual. It is measured in decibels of hearing loss, or dB HL. There are three main types of hearing loss: conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, and mixed hearing loss.^[15] An additional problem which is increasingly recognised is auditory processing disorder which is not a hearing loss as such but a difficulty perceiving sound. The shape of an audiogram shows the relative configuration of the hearing loss, such as a Carhart notch for otosclerosis, ‘noise’ notch for noise-induced damage, high frequency rolloff for presbycusis, or a flat audiogram for conductive hearing loss. In conjunction with speech audiometry, it may indicate central auditory processing disorder, or the presence of a schwannoma or other tumor.

People with unilateral hearing loss or single-sided deafness (SSD) have difficulty in hearing conversation on their impaired side, localizing sound, and understanding speech in the presence of background noise. One reason for the hearing problems these patients often experience is due to the head shadow effect.^[90]

Idiopathic sudden hearing loss is a condition where a person as an immediate decrease in the sensitivity of their sensorineural hearing that does not have a known cause.^[91] This type of loss is usually only on one side (unilateral) and the severity of the loss varies. A common threshold of a «loss of at least 30 dB in three connected frequencies within 72 hours» is sometimes used, however there is no universal definition or international consensus for diagnosing idiopathic sudden hearing loss.^[91]

Prevention[edit]

It is estimated that half of cases of hearing loss are preventable.^[92] About 60% of hearing loss in children under the age of 15 can be avoided.^[93][2] There are a number of effective preventative strategies, including: immunization against rubella to prevent congenital rubella syndrome, immunization against H. influenza and S. pneumoniae to reduce cases of meningitis, and avoiding or protecting against excessive noise exposure.^[15] The World Health Organization also recommends immunization against measles, mumps, and meningitis, efforts to prevent premature birth, and avoidance of certain medication as prevention.^[94] World Hearing Day is a yearly event to promote actions to prevent hearing damage.

Avoiding exposure to loud noise can help prevent noise-induced hearing loss.^[95] 18% of adults exposed to loud noise at work for five years or more report hearing loss in both ears as compared to 5.5% of adults who were not exposed to loud noise at work.^[96] Different programs exist for specific populations such as school-age children, adolescents and workers.^[97] Education regarding noise exposure increases the use of hearing protectors.^[98] But the HPD (without individual selection, training and fit testing) does not significantly reduce the risk of hearing loss.^[99][100] The use of antioxidants is being studied for the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss, particularly for scenarios in which noise exposure cannot be reduced, such as during military operations.^[101]

Workplace noise regulation[edit]

Noise is widely recognized as an occupational hazard. In the United States, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) work together to provide standards and enforcement on workplace noise levels.^[102][103] The hierarchy of hazard controls demonstrates the different levels of controls to reduce or eliminate exposure to noise and prevent hearing loss, including engineering controls and personal protective equipment (PPE).^[104] Other programs and initiative have been created to prevent hearing loss in the workplace. For example, the Safe-in-Sound Award was created to recognize organizations that can demonstrate results of successful noise control and other interventions.^[105] Additionally, the Buy Quiet program was created to encourage employers to purchase quieter machinery and tools.^[106] By purchasing less noisy power tools like those found on the NIOSH Power Tools Database and limiting exposure to ototoxic chemicals, great strides can be made in preventing hearing loss.^[107]

Companies can also provide personal hearing protector devices tailored to both the worker and type of employment. Some hearing protectors universally block out all noise, and some allow for certain noises to be heard. Workers are more likely to wear hearing protector devices when they are properly fitted.^[108]

Often interventions to prevent noise-induced hearing loss have many components. A 2017 Cochrane review found that stricter legislation might reduce noise levels.^[109] Providing workers with information on their sound exposure levels was not shown to decrease exposure to noise. Ear protection, if used correctly, can reduce noise to safer levels, but often, providing them is not sufficient to prevent hearing loss. Engineering noise out and other solutions such as proper maintenance of equipment can lead to noise reduction, but further field studies on resulting noise exposures following such interventions are needed. Other possible solutions include improved enforcement of existing legislation and better implementation of well-designed prevention programmes, which have not yet been proven conclusively to be effective. The conclusion of the Cochrane Review was that further research could modify what is now regarding the effectiveness of the evaluated interventions.^[109]

The Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance has created a hearing impairment calculator based on the ISO 1999 model for studying threshold shift in relatively homogeneous groups of people, such as workers with the same type of job. The ISO 1999 model estimates how much hearing impairment in a group can be ascribed to age and noise exposure. The result is calculated via an algebraic equation that uses the A-weighted sound exposure level, how many years the people were exposed to this noise, how old the people are, and their sex. The model’s estimations are only useful for people without hearing loss due to non-job related exposure and can be used for prevention activities.^[110]

Screening[edit]

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends neonatal hearing screening for all newborns.^[8]

The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that children should have their hearing tested several times throughout their schooling:^[55]

• When they enter school
• At ages 6, 8, and 10
• At least once during middle school
• At least once during high school

While the American College of Physicians indicated that there is not enough evidence to determine the utility of screening in adults over 50 years old who do not have any symptoms,^[111] the American Language, Speech Pathology and Hearing Association recommends that adults should be screened at least every decade through age 50 and at three-year intervals thereafter, to minimize the detrimental effects of the untreated condition on quality of life.^[112] For the same reason, the US Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion included as one of Healthy People 2020 objectives: to increase the proportion of persons who have had a hearing examination.^[113]

Management[edit]

Management depends on the specific cause if known as well as the extent, type and configuration of the hearing loss. Sudden hearing loss due to an underlying nerve problem may be treated with corticosteroids.^[114]

Most hearing loss, that resulting from age and noise, is progressive and irreversible, and there are currently no approved or recommended treatments. A few specific kinds of hearing loss are amenable to surgical treatment. In other cases, treatment is addressed to underlying pathologies, but any hearing loss incurred may be permanent. Some management options include hearing aids, cochlear implants, middle ear implants, assistive technology, and closed captioning.^[9] This choice depends on the level of hearing loss, type of hearing loss, and personal preference. Hearing aid applications are one of the options for hearing loss management.^[88][115] For people with bilateral hearing loss, it is not clear if bilateral hearing aids (hearing aids in both ears) are better than a unilateral hearing aid (hearing aid in one ear).^[9]

Idiopathic sudden hearing loss[edit]

For people with idiopathic sudden hearing loss, different treatment approaches have been suggested that are usually based on the suspected cause of the sudden hearing loss. Treatment approaches may include corticosteroid medications, rheological drugs, vasodilators, anesthetics, and other medications chosen based on the suspected underlying pathology that caused the sudden hearing loss.^[91] The evidence supporting most treatment options for idiopathic sudden hearing loss is very weak and adverse effects of these different medications is a consideration when deciding on a treatment approach.^[91]

Epidemiology[edit]

Globally, hearing loss affects about 10% of the population to some degree.^[52] It caused moderate to severe disability in 124.2 million people as of 2004 (107.9 million of whom are in low and middle income countries).^[13] Of these 65 million acquired the condition during childhood.^[15] At birth ~3 per 1000 in developed countries and more than 6 per 1000 in developing countries have hearing problems.^[15]

Hearing loss increases with age. In those between 20 and 35 rates of hearing loss are 3% while in those 44 to 55 it is 11% and in those 65 to 85 it is 43%.^[8]

A 2017 report by the World Health Organization estimated the costs of unaddressed hearing loss and the cost-effectiveness of interventions, for the health-care sector, for the education sector and as broad societal costs.^[116] Globally, the annual cost of unaddressed hearing loss was estimated to be in the range of $750–790 billion international dollars.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) developed the ISO 1999 standards for the estimation of hearing thresholds and noise-induced hearing impairment.^[117] They used data from two noise and hearing study databases, one presented by Burns and Robinson (Hearing and Noise in Industry, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London, 1970) and by Passchier-Vermeer (1968).^[118] As race are some of the factors that can affect the expected distribution of pure-tone hearing thresholds several other national or regional datasets exist, from Sweden,^[119] Norway,^[120] South Korea,^[121] the United States^[122] and Spain.^[123]

In the United States hearing is one of the health outcomes measure by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a survey research program conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics. It examines health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States. Data from the United States in 2011-2012 found that rates of hearing loss has declined among adults aged 20 to 69 years, when compared with the results from an earlier time period (1999-2004). It also found that adult hearing loss is associated with increasing age, sex, ethnicity, educational level, and noise exposure.^[124] Nearly one in four adults had audiometric results suggesting noise-induced hearing loss. Almost one in four adults who reported excellent or good hearing had a similar pattern (5.5% on both sides and 18% on one side). Among people who reported exposure to loud noise at work, almost one third had such changes.^[125]

Social and cultural aspects[edit]

People with extreme hearing loss may communicate through sign languages. Sign languages convey meaning through manual communication and body language instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns. This involves the simultaneous combination of hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to express a speaker’s thoughts. «Sign languages are based on the idea that vision is the most useful tool a deaf person has to communicate and receive information».^[126]

Deaf culture refers to a tight-knit cultural group of people whose primary language is signed, and who practice social and cultural norms which are distinct from those of the surrounding hearing community. This community does not automatically include all those who are clinically or legally deaf, nor does it exclude every hearing person. According to Baker and Padden, it includes any person or persons who «identifies him/herself as a member of the Deaf community, and other members accept that person as a part of the community,»^[127] an example being children of deaf adults with normal hearing ability. It includes the set of social beliefs, behaviors, art, literary traditions, history, values, and shared institutions of communities that are influenced by deafness and which use sign languages as the main means of communication.^[128][129] Members of the Deaf community tend to view deafness as a difference in human experience rather than a disability or disease.^[130][131] When used as a cultural label especially within the culture, the word deaf is often written with a capital D and referred to as «big D Deaf» in speech and sign. When used as a label for the audiological condition, it is written with a lower case d.^[128][129]

There also multiple educational institutions for both deaf and Deaf people, that usually use sign language as the main language of instruction. Famous institutions include Gallaudet University and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in the US,^[132] and the National University Corporation of Tsukuba University of Technology in Japan.^[133]

Research[edit]

Stem cell transplant and gene therapy[edit]

A 2005 study achieved successful regrowth of cochlea cells in guinea pigs.^[134] However, the regrowth of cochlear hair cells does not imply the restoration of hearing sensitivity, as the sensory cells may or may not make connections with neurons that carry the signals from hair cells to the brain. A 2008 study has shown that gene therapy targeting Atoh1 can cause hair cell growth and attract neuronal processes in embryonic mice. Some hope that a similar treatment will one day ameliorate hearing loss in humans.^[135]

Recent research, reported in 2012 achieved growth of cochlear nerve cells resulting in hearing improvements in gerbils,^[136] using stem cells. Also reported in 2013 was regrowth of hair cells in deaf adult mice using a drug intervention resulting in hearing improvement.^[137] The Hearing Health Foundation in the US has embarked on a project called the Hearing Restoration Project.^[138] Also Action on Hearing Loss in the UK is also aiming to restore hearing.^[139]

Researchers reported in 2015 that genetically deaf mice which were treated with TMC1 gene therapy recovered some of their hearing.^[140][141] In 2017, additional studies were performed to treat Usher syndrome^[142] and here, a recombinant adeno-associated virus seemed to outperform the older vectors.^[143][144]

Audition[edit]

Besides research studies seeking to improve hearing, such as the ones listed above, research studies on the deaf have also been carried out in order to understand more about audition. Pijil and Shwarz (2005) conducted their study on the deaf who lost their hearing later in life and, hence, used cochlear implants to hear. They discovered further evidence for rate coding of pitch, a system that codes for information for frequencies by the rate that neurons fire in the auditory system, especially for lower frequencies as they are coded by the frequencies that neurons fire from the basilar membrane in a synchronous manner. Their results showed that the subjects could identify different pitches that were proportional to the frequency stimulated by a single electrode. The lower frequencies were detected when the basilar membrane was stimulated, providing even further evidence for rate coding.^[145]

See also[edit]

• Audiology
• Deaf hearing
• H.870
• Otologics
• Safe listening
• World Hearing Day

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Hearing loss at Curlie
• National Institute for the Prevention of Deafness and other Communication Disorders
• Global Costs of unaddressed hearing loss and cost-effectiveness of interventions World Health Organization. 2017. Internet archive on 12 May 2020.
• Deafness and Hearing Loss. World Health Organization. 2022. Internet archive on 9 June 2022 ISBN 978-92-4-151204-6.
• Global Coalition of Parents of Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
• Occupational Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (6 February 2018).
• Preventing Hearing Loss Caused by Chemical (Ototoxicity) and Noise Exposure Safety and Health Information Bulletin (SHIB). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.  doi:10.26616/NIOSHPUB2018124 (8 March 2018). Publication No. 2018-124.
• Themann, Christa L.; Morata, Thais; Afanuh, Susan (27 September 2019). «Using Total Worker Health® concepts to address hearing health». U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Cincinnati, OH. doi:10.26616/NIOSHPUB2019155. S2CID 242864449. Retrieved 4 March 2020. Publication No. 2019-155
• World Report on Hearing. World Health Organization. 3 March 2021. World report archived on 10 June 2022.

Словосочетания

Автоматический перевод

потеря слуха, слух, снижение слуха, нарушение слуха, слушание потери

Перевод по словам

hear  — услышать, слышать, слушать, заслушивать, выслушивать, узнавать, услыхать, внимать
loss  — потеря, убыток, утрата, ущерб, проигрыш, урон, пропажа, угар

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I have to constantly remind myself that I am communicating with a person with hearing loss.

Marion Ross

PRONUNCIATION OF HEARING LOSS

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF HEARING LOSS

Hearing loss is a noun.

WHAT DOES HEARING LOSS MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Definition of hearing loss in the English dictionary

The definition of hearing loss in the dictionary is an increase in the threshold of audibility caused by age, infirmity, or prolonged exposure to intense noise.

TRANSLATION OF HEARING LOSS

Find out the translation of hearing loss to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

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Discover the use of hearing loss in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to hearing loss and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

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My parents had me tested and discovered my profound hearing loss.

Мои родители отвели меня на обследование и обнаружили, что у меня была полная потеря слуха.

Any hearing loss may be permanent.

К сожалению, любая потеря слуха может быть постоянной.

One government official quoted by Reuters said that some staff had suffered hearing loss.

Один из правительственных чиновников, которого процитирует агентство Reuters, заявил, что у некоторых сотрудников ухудшился слух.

However, many people experience hearing loss due to infections.

Тем не менее, у многих людей наблюдается потеря слуха, вызванная инфекцией.

Remember that hearing loss is irreparable.

Но они должны понимать, что потеря слуха необратима.

Any hearing loss or ear noise that accompanies the perforation is usually temporary.

Любая потеря слуха или шум в ушах, которые сопровождают перфорацию, как правило, носят временный характер.

In children, hearing loss occurs in two primary categories.

Потеря слуха у детей, как правило, подразделяются на две основные категории.

Profound hearing loss is what most people call deafness.

Глубокая потеря слуха — это то, что большинство людей называет «глухотой».

In congenital rubella, children usually have unilateral or bilateral neurosensory hearing loss.

При врожденной краснухе у детей, как правило, наблюдаются односторонняя или двусторонняя нейросенсорная потеря слуха.

As the disease worsens, hearing loss will progress.

По мере того как болезнь ухудшается, потеря слуха будет прогрессировать.

Children can be born deaf, many people acquire hearing loss after illnesses, and you can begin experiencing sensorineural hearing loss at any age.

Дети могу родиться глухими, многие люди теряют слух после болезни, а нейросенсорная тугоухость может начаться в любом возрасте.

About one-third of the population aged 40-49 has some hearing loss.

Приблизительно одна третья часть мужского населения, достигшая 40-49 лет имеет нарушения слуховых возможностей.

And nobody talks about hearing loss.

И депрессовать по поводу потери слуха никто не станет.

People worldwide have disabling hearing loss.

Learn more about hearing loss and what can be done.

Узнайте больше о потере слуха и о том, что можно сделать.

My gut says temporary hearing loss.

Чутье подсказывает, что он временно потерял слух.

Almost everyone eventually suffers hearing loss.

Почти каждый человек в конце концов страдает от потери слуха.

Individual suffering from this syndrome also faces hearing loss and dental issues.

Индивидуум, страдающий от этого синдрома, также сталкивается с потерей слуха и зубными проблемами.

Also a singer-songwriter with progressive hearing loss.

Также певица и автор песен с прогрессирующей потерей слуха.

This type of hearing loss is permanent but usually treatable with hearing aids.

Эта форма постепенной потери слуха обычно является постоянной, но ее можно успешно лечить слуховыми аппаратами.

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Don’t take your ears for granted because of your hearing matters. A partial or complete decline in a person’s ability to hear sound from one or both ears is known as deafness or hearing impairment. Although it’s a common problem, it’s major shortcoming is that it occurs gradually over time.

It practically affects a person’s quality of life and emotional state and is often referred to as an invisible disability. Unfortunately, people suffering from this condition are also prone to depression, anxiety, social isolation, and other health conditions.

It is important to understand that hearing disability is different for different people and even has different categories. It ranges from mild to severe to profound.

Mild Hearing Loss is when a person finds it difficult to keep up with soft conversations in loud/noisy surroundings. Moderate is when a person cannot listen to a moderate speech in noisy surroundings. Then there is Severe deafness, wherein a person cannot hear loud speech without the usage of hearing aid. The last level is Profound Hearing Loss, which means difficulty in hearing even with the usage of hearing aids. The person at this stage relies mostly on lip-reading and sign language.

Hearing problems that are untreated and ignored can get worse. If you suspect a hearing problem, see your doctor today or give us a call at +91-9899437202. Special training, hearing aids and surgery are some of the treatments that can help you.

In India, alone more than 1 million cases of deafness are recorded every year. The number is high in global countries also. In the United States, more than 200,000 issues of this common health issues are recorded annually. World Health Organization reports says that 5% of world population has total or significant loss of hearing. For the age group of 65 and above almost one third are suffering from this disease. Most of them are residing in South Asia, the Asia Pacific and Sub-Saharan Africa regions.

Hearing loss causes can be the natural outcome of ageing. Some causes are reversible, like ageing, noise, alcohol and tobacco, cholesterol, Some diseases and infections wax buildup in the ear canal.

Aging

It is the most common cause of deafness. One out of three people age 65-74 has some level of hearing loss. Common conditions that can increase the risk of deafness in elderly people are high blood pressure, diabetes, or the use of certain medications harmful to the ear.

Noise

Another common reason is exposure to noise. This noise can come from our work, noisy motors or loud music at rock concerts, nightclubs, discos and from stereos. The increasing use of portable MP3 players is increasing the effects of deafness. Noise wears down hearing if it’s loud or continuous. Louder sounds cause damage in a shorter period of time. Many people are unaware of the presence of environmental sound at damaging levels, or of the level at which sound becomes harmful.

Occupational Noise

Work can cause hearing loss due to the high volume of noise. There are many types of jobs that can damage your hearing like Construction, Military, Media, Farming, Airline and Manufacturing Industries, etc.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss can be quick or it can take a long time to be noticeable. It can be temporary or permanent and can affect one or both ears. Even if you cannot tell – you are damaging your hearing, could have trouble hearing in the future. But it is something that you can prevent.

High-Frequency Hearing Loss

Individuals who are experiencing a high-frequency hearing loss (‘s’, ‘f’, ‘sh’ sounds) are unable to hear clearly with the person they are talking, even at a normal volume. But there is good news, digital hearing aids can do a great job of compensating for this type of hearing loss.

Genetics

Hearing impairment can be inherited. Your genetic can be also a reason for ear damage. When looking at the genetics of deafness, there are 2 different forms, syndromic and nonsyndromic. Syndromic deafness occurs while there are other signs or medical problems in a person. Nonsyndromic deafness occurs when there are no other signs or medical problems identified with a person other than deafness.

Medications

Medications can impair hearing or balance. More than 200 drugs and chemicals have a track record of hearing causes. These medications are considered ototoxic. The link between NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and hearing loss tends to be greater in women.

Illnesses

Illness such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes are also one of the major causes of hearing loss.

Alcohol or Tobacco

Excessive drinking damages the auditory cortex in the brain, affecting the way your brain processes sound. The high levels of alcohol can create a toxic environment that can damage the delicate hair cells in the cochlea. Even moderate drinkers may risk nerve damage and hearing loss.

Ear Infection

Hearing loss occurs due to many types of ear infections. It blocks ear canals and lessens hearing. Though it can be treated with medications, if you neglect it for too long, it may be the cause of permanent hearing loss.

Physical Trauma

There can be damage either to the ear itself or to the brain centres. Trauma, especially a skull fracture or punctured eardrum, can damage your ear and put your ear a serious hearing loss. People who face any head injury are exposed to hearing loss or tinnitus, either temporary or permanent.

If you experience any of the following signs of deafness, you should contact your hearing health professionals (+91-9899437202) or and have your hearing tested.

Signs and symptoms of hearing loss may include:

• Muffling of speech and other sounds
• Avoidance of some social settings
• Facing issue in hearing T.V. or hearing at very high volume.
• Frequently asking others to speak more slowly, clearly and loudly
• Communication difficulties in noisy environments or social gathering
• You no longer hear your watch ticking, water running or birds singing
• Difficulties in hearing someone calling to you from behind or from another room.

In the case of hearing disability, treatment can help but this condition can’t be cured. The problems can be categorized based on which part of the ear it affects. It is necessary to understand the causes as well as types of hearing loss to make the right choice while choosing a hearing aid. Let us understand its various types.

1. Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sensorineural hearing loss occurs from damage to an individual’s inner ear (cochlea) or neural areas of the auditory system. In some cases, the cause cannot be determined. It is generally irreversible and permanent. The most common type of hearing loss, sensorineural or SNHL, results in a loss of loudness as well as a lack of clarity.

Those who are diagnosed with this type of hearing disability have to wear ear machines or other devices to improve hearing. Sensorineural deafness is becoming more common due to prolonged exposure to excessively loud noise from the work environment or from listening to loud music.

This type of hearing disorder can be caused genetically and in such cases, a person can lose their hearing ability due to head injuries. There are lots of reasons why this hearing loss happens. It can happen from birth or might occur early or late in life. Some reasons can also be smoking, diseases, and even taking certain medications.

The most common indicator of having it in both ears is; inability to understand speech clearly even when it is loud enough. A person would find it difficult to understand all types of high-pitched even the chirping of birds. Whereas, when it occurs in one ear, a person has trouble locating sounds or hearing background noise.

Sudden Hearing Loss

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is a rapid loss of hearing. It may happen to a person all at once or over a period of up to 3 days. It should be considered a medical emergency. If you ever experience sudden sensorineural hearing loss, visit an audiologist today.

2. Conductive Hearing Loss

A conductive hearing loss is a disorder where the ear ability to conduct sound into the inner ear is blocked. Sound passes down the ear canal to the eardrum and through the middle ear, where the sound is transmitted across the middle ear by the three bones called the ossicles to the inner ear.

In some cases, a conductive hearing loss can be temporary. Depending on the specific cause of the problem, medication or surgery can help. In the middle ear conductive hearing loss occurs due to chronic middle ear infections or glue ear, where fluids fill up the middle ear so that the eardrum cannot move.

3. Mixed Hearing Loss

Mixed Hearing Loss goes literally by its name “mixed” and is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. It indicates that there is damage in the outer, middle, and inner parts of the ear at the same time. Mixed hearing loss generally ranges from mild to profound severity.

For people diagnosed with this problem, sounds can be both softer in volume and more difficult to understand. An example can be that when a person who already has a sensorineural loss gets a middle ear infection, and the two types of loss collide to create greater hearing damage.

In case the deafness is more conductive, sound tends to sound understandable, but only if it is loud enough without too much background noise. If the disability is mostly sensorineural, the person may face difficulty understanding sound, even when it is loud enough.

4. Neural Hearing Loss

The least common type of hearing disorder in neural hearing loss. It takes place when the auditory nerve is missing or transmits information to the brain incorrectly. In order to diagnose this type of deafness correctly, it needs in-depth testing and might include radiographic imaging. It is not possible to identify the exact location of neural hearing disorder using the current tests, thus frequent hearing monitoring is required for its.

Because of its complex nature, in some cases amplification is not recommended by the doctors. For instance, sometimes an individual will be able to hear properly at normal intensity but may continue to have difficulty understanding speech. Making sounds louder with hearing aids does not improve speech understanding in these cases. Any individual with neural hearing loss will hear more trouble in the background noise than it actually has.

Avoid damaging noises: If the sound is too loud then it can cause serious damage to your ears. Sounds from motorcycles, concert speakers, power tools like saws and drills, earphones, and more are all loud enough to make a difference. And the higher the noise level means the greater the risk of hearing loss. So try to avoid any type of loud noise and use ear protection.

Wear hearing protection: Use ear protection such as earplugs or earmuffs. There are several professions that can put you at risk for hearing disorders on a daily basis, such as construction workers, paramedics, musicians, firefighters, military personnel or manufacturing and factory jobs, and many more.

Earplugs are a type of hearing protection available at your pharmacy. Earmuffs or noise-cancellation earphones can be purchased at sporting goods or safety equipment stores. If you wear earplugs or Earmuffs frequently, which can be made to fit comfortably and stop loud noise from getting to the ear.

Be a Quiet Enforcer: Before buying any product compare dB rating. And if it’s too loud in the movie theatre, restaurant, or any other place you go often, ask the manager to turn it down.

Don’t Smoke: Excess alcohol or tobacco affect your brain and make you mare likely to lose your hearing. So try to quit or avoid breathing secondhand smoke.

Remove earwax: Your ear canal produces a waxy oil called cerumen, which is more commonly known as earwax. When you clean your ears, you can accidentally push the wax deeper, causing a blockage. Cotton swabs, ear candling, and irrigators are all examples of devices people use to clean the wax that can cause the wax to become more embedded. Cleaning hearing aid is a must thing to do. You should take great caution when trying to treat earwax buildup at home. If the problem persists, visit your doctor.

Get a hearing test: If you have some hearing loss, you can avoid getting more damage by steering clear of loud noises. Visit a hearing care center routinely for a hearing test. If your test indicates you already have some amount of disorder, you can begin taking action to prevent it from getting worse. If you need digital hearing aids, your hearing professional can discuss the best options for your hearing loss, lifestyle, and budget.

Get your hearing test today at HearingSol Delhi NCR, give us a call at +91-9899437202.

Age-related hearing disability is also known as Presbyterians. It is the loss of hearing that occurs gradually in all of us as we grow older. This is the most common conditions between older and elderly adults. It affects both the ears equally. The loss is slow, steady and occurs with age, so people who haven’t yet been diagnosed don’t realize that they’ve already lost some of their ability to hear. The loss is always permanent but not life-threatening.

One of the symptoms of age-related hearing problems is having difficulty hearing the voice of women. This is because their voices are high in pitch compared to men. Other symptoms include; voices sounding mumbled or overly loud, experiencing ringing in the ears along with headaches or dizziness.

Some major causes

• Certain medical conditions (high blood pressure or diabetes)
• Family history (age-related hearing loss sometimes run in families)
• Repeated exposure to loud noises
• Ototoxicity medication
• Smoking
• Certain medicines, such as chemotherapy drugs for cancer

Doctors recommend a cochlear implant in some cases, which means a small hearing device is surgically implanted into the ear of the person diagnosed. They don’t restore normal hearing but somewhat improve loud hearing.

Born With A Hearing Disability

The term congenital hearing loss means the hearing disorder is present by birth. Doctors these days advise that all newborns babies should be given a hearing test prior to discharge from the hospital. The symptoms can be seen during different stages of the child’s age such as; a newborn baby may not flinch when there is a loud noise nearby or after a few months, the child still does not respond to familiar voices. Congenital hearing loss can be caused by genetic or nongenetic factors.

One of the following two factors causes this type of hearing loss:

Hereditary/Genetic Factors

Genetic factors (hereditary) cause more than 50% of all hearing loss in children. It can be present at birth or develop later in life. Most genetic hearing loss can be described as autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant. In easy words, hearing loss may be inherited from one or both parents. This type of inheritance pattern accounts for about 70% of all genetic hearing loss. Genetic syndromes have a group of signs and symptoms that together indicate a specific disease:

• Down syndrome
• Usher syndrome
• Treacher Collins syndrome
• Crouzon syndrome
• Alport syndrome
• Waardenburg syndrome

Non-Hereditary/Non-Genetic Factors

In about 25% of cases of deafness, there is a non-genetic cause that can be identified. Nongenetic factors that are known to cause congenital hearing loss. It is most often caused by illness or trauma before birth or during the birth process. Their causes include:

• Low birth weight
• Maternal diabetes
• Lack of oxygen (anoxia)
• Birth injuries/complications
• Complications associated with the Rh factor in the blood.
• Toxins (alcohol or drug) consumed by the mother during pregnancy

Acquired In Early Childhood

There are many cases when a child is affected by deafness as they grow up. These disorders are not present at birth but identified at a later date. Approximately two to three children per 1,000 will be identified as having childhood acquired or late-onset hearing loss.

You can observe a certain behavior pattern in children having hearing disorders: such as; being sad, angry, frustrated all the time, having low self-esteem, or being completely shy/quiet. This behavior is caused due to picking up by siblings or peers that they have a problem or by simply realizing on their own that they cannot communicate as well as others.

Family support and a normal environment at home can help the child to become comfortable. It will also enable the child to express properly, which will further help in providing better Hearing Sol.

Some major causes of this type of disability:

• A perforated eardrum
• Otosclerosis or Meniere’s diseases, which are progressive
• Infections like meningitis, measles, mumps or a whooping cough
• Taking ototoxic medications
• A serious head injury
• Exposure to loud noise, causing noise-induced hearing loss
• Untreated or frequent otitis media (ear infections)
• Exposure to secondhand smoke

Hearing Impairments In Young People

Lifestyle is one of the major reasons for hearing disorders in young people. Every young adult or teen is into activities like; listening to music at full volume, loud noise games, concerts, movie theatres, etc. Believe it or not, these are certainly putting their hearing power at risk.

Researchers conclude that if young adults frequently use headphones at a loud volume, they should be prepared to deal with ringing in their ears or hearing loss as a result. With increasing rates of hearing loss comes academic challenges, a growing problem for young people. In higher education, you have to advocate for yourself. Be ready to make recommendations for what you need. Be proactive.

There are many ways to prevent noise-induced hearing loss in young people and teens. Some of these include:

• Use high-quality earplugs that transfer sound into your inner ear more effectively or use headphones instead.
• Fixed the time and volume range to listening to music. Follow 60/60 rule, no more than 60 minutes nor above 60% of maximum volume.
• If music is coming outside from your earbuds means it’s very loud.
• Take some breaks from listening to music.
• Always wear earplugs at concerts and loud sporting events.

Just remember, prevention is better than cure. Taking small steps towards reducing the likelihood of hearing loss now, will only benefit you in future.

Hearing Loss In Old People

It is one of the most common conditions affecting older and elderly adults. Approximately one in three people between the ages of 60 and 70 have a partial or significant form of hearing loss. Nearly half of those older than 75 have difficulty hearing.

The age-related disorders most often occur in both ears, affecting them equally. Because the loss is gradual, if you have age-related issues you may not realize that you’ve lost some of your ability to hear.

There are many causes of age-related hearing loss. Most commonly, it arises from changes in the inner ear as we age, but it can also result from changes in the middle ear. Certain medical conditions and medications may also play a role.

Having trouble hearing can make it hard to understand and follow a doctor’s advice, to respond to warnings, and to hear doorbells and alarms. It can also make it hard to enjoy talking with friends and family. All of this can be frustrating, embarrassing, and even dangerous.

There are many reasons for losing your hearing in old age:

• Conditions that are more common in older people, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, can contribute to hearing loss.
• The noise-induced hearing loss is caused by long-term exposure to sounds that are either too loud or last too long.
• Age-related hearing loss can be caused by abnormalities of the outer ear or middle ear.

There is no permanent cure for hearing the loss in old people but there is a treatment to improve the quality of life of people suffering from it. The following can be of help:

• Hearing aids
• Telephone amplifiers
• Learning sign language
• Lip reading training
• Usage of visual cues to aid communication
• Prevent excess ear wax
• Cochlear implant

Treatment is largely based on the extent to which the hearing loss exists. This can be evaluated through a hearing test. Regularly consulting with your doctor about your specific health needs is recommended.

Hearing Loss And Dementia

Hearing loss and dementia are common as you get older. Research shows that there’s no coincidence. The two are linked. They are finding more and more evidence that problem with hearing makes you more likely to go on to dementia, a condition marked by trouble with thinking and memory loss, problem-solving, and other mental tasks.

Follow-Up For Hearing Loss

There are many treatments available for permanent hearing loss –

• Individual who is profoundly deaf may benefit from a cochlear implant.
• Anyone with conductive hearing loss can have the middle ear reconstructed by a nose, ear, and throat professional.
• Hearing aids are well tolerated and effective for people with conductive hearing loss.

Hearing Loss Test

Hearing loss can affect anyone at any age. As we get older, we naturally become more likely to hearing loss because of changes to the delicate mechanism of our ears. If you have sudden hearing loss in one ear, Consult with your doctor. A simple screening will help you to identify a hearing problem.

An Online Hearing Test is no alternate for a real hearing test by a hearing care professional or audiologist. It is always advisable to obtain a more detailed hearing test from your nearby hearing healthcare professional. Difficulty in hearing is interfering with your daily life.

Hearing Loss

 

Definition

Hearing loss is any degree of impairment of the ability to apprehend sound.

Description

Sound can be measured accurately. The term decibel (dB) refers to an amount of energy moving sound from its source to our ears or to a microphone. A drop of more than 10 dB in the level of sound a person can hear is significant.

Sound travels through a medium like air or water as waves of compression and rarefaction. These waves are collected by the external ear and cause the tympanic membrane (ear drum) to vibrate. The chain of ossicles connected to the ear drum—the incus, malleus, and stapes—carries the vibration to the oval window, increasing its amplitude 20 times on the way. There the energy causes a standing wave in the watery liquid (endolymph) inside the Organ of Corti. (A standing wave is one that does not move. A vibrating cup of coffee will demonstrate standing waves.) The configuration of the standing wave is determined by the frequency of the sound. Many thousands of tiny nerve fibers detect the highs and lows of the standing wave and transmit their findings to the brain, which interprets the signals as sound.

To summarize, sound energy passes through the air of the external ear, the bones of the middle ear and the liquid of the inner ear. It is then translated into nerve impulses, sent to the brain through nerves and understood there as sound. It follows that there are five steps in the hearing process:

• air conduction through the external ear to the ear drum

• bone conduction through the middle ear to the inner ear
• water conduction to the Organ of Corti
• nerve conduction into the brain
• interpretation by the brain.

Decibel Ratings And Hazardous Levels Of Noise
Decibel Level	Example Of Sounds
Above 110 decibels, hearing may become painful	Above 120 decibels is considered deafening	Above 135 decibels, hearing will become extremely painful and hearing loss may result if exposure is prolonged Above 180 decibels, hearing loss is almost certain with any exposure
30	Soft whisper
35	Noise may prevent the listener from falling asleep
40	Quiet office noise level
50	Quiet conversation
60	Average television volume, sewing machine, lively conversation
70	Busy traffic, noisy restaurant
80	Heavy city traffic, factory noise, alarm clock
90	Cocktail party, lawn mower
100	Pneumatic drill
120	Sandblasting, thunder
140	Jet airplane
180	Rocket launching pad

Hearing can be interrupted in several ways at each of the five steps.

The external ear canal can be blocked with ear wax, foreign objects, infection, and tumors. Overgrowth of the bone, a condition that occurs when the ear canal has been flushed with cold water repeatedly for years, can also narrow the passageway, making blockage and infection more likely. This condition occurs often in Northern Californian surfers and is therefore called «surfer’s ear.»

The ear drum is so thin a physician can see through it into the middle ear. Sharp objects, pressure from an infection in the middle ear, even a firm cuffing or slapping of the ear, can rupture it. It is also susceptible to pressure changes during scuba diving.

Several conditions can diminish the mobility of the ossicles (small bones) in the middle ear. Otitis media (an infection in the middle ear) occurs when fluid cannot escape into the throat because of blockage of the eustachian tube. The fluid that accumulates, whether it be pus or just mucus and dampens the motion of the ossicles. A disease called otosclerosis can bind the stapes in the oval window and thereby cause deafness.

All the conditions mentioned so far, those that occur in the external and middle ear, are causes of conductive hearing loss. The second category, sensory hearing loss, refers to damage to the Organ of Corti and the acoustic nerve. Prolonged exposure to loud noise is the leading cause of sensory hearing loss. A million people have this condition, many identified during the military draft and rejected as being unfit for duty. The cause is often believed to be prolonged exposure to rock music. Occupational noise exposure is the other leading cause of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) and is ample reason for wearing ear protection on the job. A third of people over 65 have presbycusis—sensory hearing loss due to aging. Both NIHL and presbycusis are primarily high frequency losses. In most languages, it is the high frequency sounds that define speech, so these people hear plenty of noise, they just cannot easily make out what it means. They have particular trouble selecting out speech from background noise. Brain infections like meningitis, drugs such as the aminoglycoside antibiotics (streptomycin, gentamycin, kanamycin, tobramycin), and Meniere’s disease also cause permanent sensory hearing loss. Meniere’s disease combines attacks of hearing loss with attacks of vertigo. The symptoms may occur together or separately. High doses of salicylates like aspirin and quinine can cause a temporary high-frequency loss. Prolonged high doses can lead to permanent deafness. There is an hereditary form of sensory deafness and a congenital form most often caused by rubella (German measles).

Sudden hearing loss—at least 30dB in less than three days—is most commonly caused by cochleitis, a mysterious viral infection.

The final category of hearing loss is neural. Damage to the acoustic nerve and the parts of the brain that perform hearing are the most likely to produce permanent hearing loss. Strokes, multiple sclerosis, and acoustic neuromas are all possible causes of neural hearing loss.

Hearing can also be diminished by extra sounds generated by the ear, most of them from the same kinds of disorders that cause diminished hearing. These sounds are referred to as tinnitus and can be ringing, blowing, clicking, or anything else that no one but the patient hears.

Diagnosis

An examination of the ears and nose combined with simple hearing tests done in the physician’s office can detect many common causes of hearing loss. An audiogram often concludes the evaluation, since these simple means often produce a diagnosis. If the defect is in the brain or the acoustic nerve, further neurological testing and imaging will be required.

The audiogram has many uses in diagnosing hearing deficits. The pattern of hearing loss across the audible frequencies gives clues to the cause. Several alterations in the testing procedure can give additional information. For example, speech is perceived differently than pure tones. Adequate perception of sound combined with inability to recognize words points to a brain problem rather than a sensory or conductive deficit. Loudness perception is distorted by disease in certain areas but not in others. Acoustic neuromas often distort the perception of loudness.

Treatment

Conductive hearing loss can almost always be restored to some degree, if not completely.

• matter in the ear canal can be easily removed with a dramatic improvement in hearing.
• surfer’s ear gradually regresses if cold water is avoided or a special ear plug is used. In advanced cases, surgeons can grind away the excess bone.
• middle ear infection with fluid is also simple to treat. If medications do not work, surgical drainage of the ear is accomplished through the ear drum, which heals completely after treatment.
• traumatically damaged ear drums can be repaired with a tiny skin graft.
• surgical repair of otosclerosis through an operating microscope is one of the most intricate of procedures, substituting tiny artificial parts for the original ossicles.

Sensory and neural hearing loss, on the other hand, cannot readily be cured. Fortunately it is not often complete, so that hearing aids can fill the deficit.

In-the-ear hearing aids can boost the volume of sound by up to 70 dB. (Normal speech is about 60 dB.) Federal law now requires that they be dispensed only upon a physician’s prescription. For complete conduction hearing loss there are now available bone conduction hearing aids and even devices that can be surgically implanted in the cochlea.

Tinnitus can sometimes be relieved by adding white noise (like the sound of wind or waves crashing on the shore) to the environment.

Decreased hearing is such a common problem that there are legions of organizations to provide assistance. Special language training, both in lip reading and signing, special schools and special camps for children are all available in most regions of the United States.

Alternative treatment

Conductive hearing loss can be treated with alternative therapies that are specific to the particular condition. Sensory hearing loss may be helped by homeopathic therapies. Oral supplementation with essential fatty acids such as flax oil and omega 3 oil can help alleviate the accumulation of wax in the ear.

Key terms

Decibel — A unit of the intensity of sound, a measure of loudness.

Meniere’s disease — The combination of vertigo and decreased hearing caused by abnormalities in the inner ear.

Otosclerosis — A disease that scars and limits the motion of the small conducting bones in the middle ear.

Stroke — Sudden loss of blood supply to part of the brain.

Prevention

Prompt treatment and attentive follow-up of middle ear infections in children will prevent this cause of conductive hearing loss. Control of infectious childhood diseases such as measles has greatly reduced sensory hearing loss as a complication of epidemic diseases. Laws that require protection from loud noise in the workplace have achieved substantial reduction in noise induced hearing loss. Surfers should use the right kind of ear plugs.

Resources

Organizations

Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf. 3417 Volta Place NW, Washington, DC 20007. (202) 337-5220. http://www.agbell.org.

Auditory-Verbal International. 2121 Eisenhower Ave., Suite 402, Alexandria, VA 22314. (703) 739-1049. 〈avi@auditory-verbal.org〉 〈http://www.auditory-verbal.org/contact.htm〉.

Better Hearing Institute. 515 King Street, Suite 420, Alexandria, VA 22314. (703) 684-3391.

Central Institute for the Deaf. Washington University. St. Louis, Missouri. 〈http://cidmac.wustl.edu〉.

League for the Hard of Hearing. 71 West 23rd St., New York, New York 10010-4162. (212) 741-7650. http://www.lhh.org.

National Association of the Deaf. 814 Thayer Ave., Silver Spring, MD, 20910. (301) 587-1788. 〈http://nad.policy.net〉.

Self Help for Hard of Hearing People, Inc. 7800 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814. (301) 657-2248. http://www.shhh.org.

The Sight & Hearing Association (SHA). http://www.sightandhearing.org.

World Recreation Association of the Deaf (WRAD). http://www.wrad.org.

Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

hearing loss

 

partial or complete loss of the sense of hearing; called also deafness. The number of hearing impaired individuals has steadily increased over the past few decades. While improved detection and reporting of impaired hearing can account for some of this increase, other contributing factors include an aging population and increased noise levels in the environment.

Types of Hearing Loss. There are three broad categories of hearing loss: conductive, sensorineural, and central. Conductive hearing loss is associated with impaired transmission of sound waves through the external ear canal to the bones of the middle ear. A blockage of the external ear or dysfunction of the middle ear will produce conductive loss of hearing. Examples of common causes of conductive hearing loss are obstruction of the ear canal by cerumen or a foreign object, perforated eardrum, otitis media, otosclerosis, and congenital malformations of the outer or middle ear.

Sensorineural hearing loss is associated with some pathological change in structures within the inner ear or in the acoustic nerve. Normally, sound waves received by the external and middle ear are conveyed to the fluid in the cochlea of the inner ear. On the surface of its basilar membrane lies the organ of Corti, which contains mechanically sensitive cells. These minute structures act as end-organs that generate nerve impulses in response to sound vibrations. Thus the mechanical energy of sound vibrations is transformed into electrical energy that stimulates the nerve fibers of the acoustic (eighth cranial) nerve. The impulses are then transmitted to the brain, where the cerebral cortex decodes or interprets the sound. A sensorineural hearing loss results when there is dysfunction in either the perception or the interpretation of sound waves. Common causes of sensorineural hearing loss include hereditary disease, aging (presbycusis), noise damage, viral childhood infections, skull fractures and intracranial tumors, ototoxic drugs, and Rh incompatibility during fetal life.

Central hearing loss occurs when there is a pathologic condition above the junction of the acoustic nerve and the brainstem. Brain tumors, vascular changes that suddenly deprive the structures of the inner ear of their blood supply, stroke syndrome, and erythroblastosis fetalis are examples of pathologic conditions that can produce central hearing loss.

Preventing Hearing Loss. Not all cases of hearing loss can be prevented, but there are measures that are known to be effective in curtailing the incidence and severity of many types of hearing loss. For example, excessive environmental noise is a major contributing factor that is avoidable or at least manageable. Permanent damage to hearing can result when the structures of the inner ear and nerve cells are repeatedly bombarded with loud sound waves which reduce their blood supply. The cells thus lost are replaced by scar tissue that cannot transmit sound waves and impulses. If one’s occupation requires continued exposure to loud noises, ear protection devices should be worn to mitigate the harmful effect.

Excessive noise in one’s environment often can be greatly reduced by lowering the volume on radios and other music appliances, especially those with headphones. Authorities recommend that one should avoid continual exposure to music amplified to more than 104 to 111 decibels. It is believed that the loss of hearing associated with aging may not be an inevitable outcome of growing older, but rather a lasting effect of living in an increasingly noisy environment.

Efforts to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis can help prevent hearing loss by lowering the possibility of atherosclerotic plaque in the blood vessels supplying the delicate structures of the inner ear, and also by minimizing the risk of stroke.

There are some drugs that are particularly toxic to the ear. Examples are aspirin, which can produce tinnitus and temporary deafness; the antibiotics erythromycin, kanamycin, neomycin, and streptomycin; the nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugsfenoprofen and indomethacin; the diureticfurosemide (Lasix); and several drugs used in the chemotherapeutic treatment of malignancies. Any person taking a prescribed medication should be alert for hearing-related problems while taking the drug and report such problems as soon as they appear.

Prompt attention to and successful treatment of ear infections is another means by which hearing loss can be prevented. Symptoms such as ringing in the ears, a feeling of pressure in the ear, or increasing hearing difficulty call for medical consultation.

Great progress has been made in the treatment of conditions that once almost always resulted in impaired hearing. One example is the use of antibiotics to manage ear infections. Another is the development of microsurgery, which enables the surgeon to operate freely in the crowded inner chambers of the ear. Two such surgical procedures are stapedectomy and tympanoplasty. In a stapedectomy to correct otosclerosis the diseased stapes or stirrup is removed and replaced by a prosthesis that allows the chain of sound transmission to function again. Tympanoplasty is useful in correcting some types of conductive hearing loss. If chronic ear infection or injury has destroyed one or more of the ossicles, they can be rebuilt or replaced surgically.

Detecting Hearing Loss. In the infant and very young child hearing loss is evidenced by a lack of response to the sounds in the immediate environment. As the infant matures and begins to approach the age at which talking should begin, there may be either a failure to talk at all by age two or scarcely intelligible speech after age three.

Emotional and behavioral disorders can be signs of hearing loss in children and adults. The frustration they feel in trying to cope with their disability can be manifested by irritability, hyperactivity, hostility, and withdrawal. Other signs include speaking in either a very loud or very soft voice; habitually saying “What?” and failing to follow instructions; facial expressions indicating difficulty in understanding what is being said; and inappropriate responses to questions asked or statements made during a conversation.

Among the tests used to evaluate hearing are tuning fork tests such as the weber test and the rinne test. A tympanogram provides information about the movement of the eardrum. Evaluation of hearing acuity by audiometry uses a special machine for testing sound perception.

Rehabilitation. For those cases of hearing loss that cannot be corrected, some form of rehabilitation is prescribed to make the best of whatever hearing remains and to improve the person’s quality of life and socialization. The hearing aid is helpful for persons with certain kinds of hearing loss. It should be selected with the help of an audiologist or an otologist because different types of hearing loss require different types of hearing aids. Careful training in the proper use of the hearing aid is also necessary to assure that the person wearing it will achieve maximum benefit.

An important tool in rehabilitation of the profoundly hearing impaired is training in signing and lip reading. For lip reading, the patient is taught to use visual clues, such as facial expression and body movements, as well as movements of the lips and tongue.

A third component of rehabilitation of the hearing impaired is speech therapy. Profoundly deaf persons cannot hear their own voices, and those who have never heard spoken language have difficulty learning to speak coherently. Those who have lost their hearing over a period of time often suffer a gradual deterioration in their speech so that communication becomes increasingly awkward.

Patient Care. Communicating with the partially hearing impaired person can be enhanced by following a few simple rules. Speak slightly more loudly than normal but do not shout, as this can distort your speech and will not make your message any clearer. Speak slowly and distinctly. Get the person’s attention before speaking. The best distance for speaking to a hearing-impaired person is 1 to 2 meters (3 to 6 feet). Face the person to whom you are speaking and place yourself at eye level so that other visual clues can be seen. Never speak directly into the person’s ear. This can distort the message and hide all visual clues. Be aware of nonverbal communication; facial expressions, gestures, and lip and body movements all give clues to the meaning of the message you are trying to send. Use short, simple sentences. If the person does not appear to understand or responds inappropriately, rephrase your statement. Give the person time to respond to what you have asked or stated.

Sources of Help for Those with Hearing Loss. Among the resources available to hearing impaired persons and their families are universities and medical centers with departments of speech and hearing that provide lip-reading classes, rehabilitation, and hearing aid clinics. The national institute on deafness and other communication disorders (NIDCD), a part of the National Institutes of Health, has a clearinghouse for information on hearing, balance, language, and related issues. Their mailing address is NIDCD Information Clearinghouse, 1 Communication Ave., Bethesda, MD 20892, and their web site is http://www.nidcd.nih.gov. They can be reached by telephone at (voice) 1-800-241-1044 or (TDD/TTY) 1-800-241-1055. Other societies and organizations devoted to helping the hearing impaired include The Better Hearing Institute, 515 King Street, Suite 420, Alexandria VA 22314, which operates a toll-free “Hearing Helpline” at 1-800-327-9355; and The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, 3417 Volta Pl. NW, Washington, DC 20007. Web site http://www.hear-it.org is a worldwide hearing information web site.

conductive hearing loss that due to a defect of the sound-conducting apparatus, i.e., of the external auditory canal or middle ear. See hearing loss.

ototoxic hearing loss deafness caused by ingestion of toxic substances or medications that affect the eighth cranial nerve.

paradoxic hearing loss that in which the hearing is better during loud noise.

sensorineural hearing loss that due to a defect in the inner ear or the acoustic nerve. See hearing loss.

Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.

hear·ing im·pair·ment

, hearing loss (hēr’ing im-pār’ment, laws),

A reduction in the ability to perceive sound; may range from slight inability to complete deafness.
See also: deafness, threshold shift.

Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

hearing loss

An ↓ ability to hear, which may be genetic or acquired, pre- or postlingual, and syndromic or nonsyndromic. See Noise-induced hearing loss, Occupational hearing loss, Prelingual hearing loss, Postlingual hearing loss, Sensorineural hearing loss.

McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

hear·ing im·pair·ment

, hearing loss (hēr’ing im-pār’mĕnt, laws)

A reduction in the ability to perceive sound; may range from slight inability to complete deafness.
See also: deafness

Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012

hearing loss

Failure of normal perception of sounds or of sounds of a particular range of frequencies. Most hearing loss involves the higher frequencies. Hearing loss may be conductive, due to mechanical defects or obstruction in the ear, or sensorineural, due to damage to the inner ear nerve mechanisms.

Collins Dictionary of Medicine © Robert M. Youngson 2004, 2005

hear·ing im·pair·ment

, hearing loss (hēr’ing im-pār’mĕnt, laws)

Reduction in ability to perceive sound; may range from slight inability to complete deafness.
See also: deafness

Medical Dictionary for the Dental Professions © Farlex 2012

Patient discussion about hearing loss

Q. what is this immediate hearing loss???? I woke up yesterday and didnt hear anything, only very high tones in my left ear. I also feel nausious and dizzy. please tell me someone has experienced it and it goes away in a few days!!! I’m very scared to loose my hearing forever, it’s been 24 hours that I’m almost deaf.
thank you

A. Acute hearing loss can be caused due to an infection of the middle ear or internal ear that can cause dizziness nausea fever and vomiting as well. You should see a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

More discussions about hearing loss

This content is provided by iMedix and is subject to iMedix Terms. The Questions and Answers are not endorsed or recommended and are made available by patients, not doctors.

Starkey Hearing Foundation

©
Credits

A person is said to have hearing loss if they are not able to hear as well as someone with normal hearing, meaning hearing thresholds of 20 dB or better in both ears. It can be mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe or profound, and can affect one or both ears. Major causes of hearing loss include congenital or early onset childhood hearing loss, chronic middle ear infections, noise-induced hearing loss, age-related hearing loss, and ototoxic drugs that damage the inner ear.

The impacts of hearing loss are broad and can be profound. They include a loss of the ability to communicate with others delayed language development in children, which can lead to social isolation, loneliness and frustration, particularly among older people with hearing loss. Many areas lack sufficient accommodations for hearing loss, which effect academic performance and options for employment. Children with hearing loss and deafness in developing countries rarely receive any schooling. WHO estimates that unaddressed hearing loss costs the global economy US$ 980 billion annually due to health sector costs (excluding the cost of hearing devices), costs of educational support, loss of productivity and societal costs. 

Deafness and hearing loss are widespread and found in every
region and country. Currently
more than 1.5 billion people (nearly 20% of the global population) live with hearing
loss; 430 million of them have disabling hearing loss. It is expected that by
2050, there could be over 700 million people with disabling hearing loss.

Globally, 34 million children have deafness or hearing loss, of
which 60% of cases are due to preventable causes. At the other end of the
lifespan, approximately 30% of people over 60 years of age have hearing loss.

Many of the impacts of hearing loss can be mitigated through
early detection and interventions. These include specialized education programs
and sign language instruction for young children and their families. Assistive
technologies, including hearing aids, cochlear implants, closed captioning and
other devices can help people with hearing loss at any age. People may also
benefit from speech therapy, aural rehabilitation and other related services.

Low- and middle-income countries bear a disproportionate burden
from hearing loss. WHO estimates that global hearing aid production covers just
3% of the need in these countries.

WHO estimates that 50% of hearing loss can be prevented through public health measures. Some prevention strategies target individual lifestyle choices such as exposure to loud sounds and music or wearing protective equipment such as earplugs. This can be assisted through implementing audio standards for personal audio systems and devices.

Further reductions in hearing loss can be gained through screening and early interventions in childhood, including application of assistive technologies or surgical options. Screenings can also prevent the use of damaging pharmaceuticals in high-risk cases.

Hearing loss and deafness can also occur as a complication of other diseases such as measles, meningitis, rubella and mumps. Work to prevent these diseases through vaccination and hygiene programs can have a beneficial impact on rates of hearing loss and deafness. Immunizing adolescent girls and women of reproductive age against rubella before pregnancy, and preventing cytomegalovirus infections in pregnant women, can reduce the risk of babies born with congenital hearing loss or deafness.

• Deafness and hearing loss

• Make listening safe
• Ear care
• Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis)
• hearWHO

• Improving access to assistive technology (WHA 71.8)
• Prevention of deafness and hearing loss (WHA70.13)
• Prevention of hearing impairment (WHA 48.9)

• Sensory functions, disability and rehabilitation 

Over 1.5 billion

people globally

live with hearing loss. This number could rise to over 2.5 billion by 2050.

More than

1 billion young

people (12–35 years old) are at risk for hearing loss due to recreational exposure to loud sound.

980 billion

dollars

is the overall annual cost of unaddressed hearing loss globally.