What are the Main Causes of Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss is something that many people experience at some point or another in life. Our ability to hear declines after we turn 40, and by the time we reach our 80s, more than half of all adult’s experience significant hearing loss. Half of those who are dealing with a level of hearing loss are also of working age, having been exposed to loud noise in their personal or working lives.

Understanding the main causes of hearing loss is important if you want to learn what you can do about it. Speaking to your audiologist is a good first step to treating your hearing loss. Below, we've put together a few of the most common causes of hearing loss.

If you are experiencing any of these in your current life, you may need to speak to an audiologist and get some support for your hearing loss. Let's take a look:

Noise exposure

Whether it's because you love heading to festivals and concerts or you are working with heavy machinery, hearing loss can occur as a result of loud noise. We can hear comfortably to 85 decibels, and beyond this we can do some serious damage to our hearing. At work, you should be using protective equipment to keep your hearing as protected as possible and you should also be wearing earplugs or headphones when you are at a music festival. This doesn't mean that you won't be able to hear the music, it just means that you'll hear a little less of it so that you can protect your eardrums from bursting!

Infection

Some infections can cause permanent hearing loss and if you're unsure as to whether an illness or a medication you are taking is the cause of the hearing loss that you are experiencing, you should get some help from your audiologist. A wide range of drugs and diseases can cause hearing loss, and your audiologist will be able to tell you about yours. Hearing loss can be irreversible when caused by illness in some cases, so if your hearing loss seems to be lasting for some time, it's better to get some advice as early as possible.

Injury

If you have had a fall or a trauma to the head, you may end up with hearing loss as a side effect. Depending on the severity of the trauma, you could be looking at hearing loss that isn't reversible and cannot be supported with hearing aids. Either way, you have to ensure that you have covered all your bases! Sensorineural hearing loss is the result of hearing loss brought on by tumors and trauma.

Age

As we said, we hear less as we get older and your age is a contributing factor to your inability to hear. Take the time to speak to an audiologist if you are concerned by age-related hearing loss! They will be able to tell you whether hearing aids can help after hearing tests.