Some children are born deaf. If a mother had rubella (German measles) during the third month of her pregnancy there is a risk that the baby will be born deaf. If a birth is difficult and the baby doesn't get enough oxygen, deafness can also occur. Some families have a history of deafness and it is passed from one generation to the next. Often the cause of deafness is unknown.
Wax build up
Wax is produced naturally in the ear canal to help keep it clean and to protect the eardrum. Some people produce more wax than others and it can build up to block the ear canal and so reduce hearing. In most cases, the wax is easily removed by an Ear Nurse or ENT Specialist. Don't try to remove the wax from your ears yourself. You risk pushing it further into your ear or damaging the eardrum and causing permanent hearing loss.
Ear infection
Ear infection can cause conductive hearing loss. In a child, this can seriously affect progress at school. But ear infections can be satisfactorily treated. If you or your child has a painful or discharging ear, see your doctor.
Drugs
A number of drugs can damage your hearing. If you are taking medicine and you have developed noises in your head or ears, or you think your hearing is affected, tell your doctor.
Damage to the Eardrum
Damage to the eardrum is a common cause of hearing loss. You should never put any foreign objects in your ear canal. A perforated or ruptured eardrum will
cause some hearing loss. Sometimes the eardrum heals itself naturally or can be repaired with surgery. If you have a perforated eardrum you must wear earplugs when swimming to stop water entering your ear.
Accidents
Accidents can cause hearing loss. If you received head injuries in an accident your hearing could be damaged. Loud blasts can rupture or perforate the eardrums. So can a fall in a high speed water sport like water skiing.
Ageing
As we age, changes in the inner ear cause the clarity of our hearing to be reduced. High pitched sounds are always the first to become difficult to hear. Almost everyone experiences some hearing loss as they age. It's important that you don't just put up with it and do nothing, or you will get less and less enjoyment out of life.
Excessive noise
Excessive noise exposure is a known cause of hearing loss. Use your common sense when it comes to loud noise. Being exposed to loud noise for a short time will cause temporary hearing loss. But very loud, long or repeated exposure will cause permanent hearing loss. The louder the noise the less time you can be subjected to it before your hearing is damaged.
It's important to realise that loud noise causes a sensorineural hearing loss. It cannot be cured. It is generally accompanied by tinnitus, or 'ringing in the ears'.
Wear earplugs, or ear muffs whenever you're in a noisy environment. This includes noisy activities such as mowing the lawns and using power tools, as well as working in industrial environments. And be sensible about the volume at which you listen to music, especially with personal stereos where the headphones are plugged straight into your ears.
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