Hearing Loss In Adults

About 20-25 million people in the U.S. have some degree of hearing loss. Most hearing loss occurs in the adult population. Only 1 million of these people are under the age of 18 years.

Hearing loss may be mild, moderate, severe, or total. It may reflect damage to the outer ear, middle ear, inner ear, or auditory nerve.

The outer ear consists of the visible ear and ear canal. The middle ear is an air-filled cavity containing three small bones. The middle ear is separated from the ear canal by the eardrum. Some hearing loss is due to the interference of sound waves through the outer and middle ear. This type of loss can usually be corrected with medication or surgery.

Some causes of outer and middle ear sound wave interference are:

• malformation

• skull fracture

• infection

• impacted ear wax or foreign object

• frozen or disjointed ossicles (the tiny bones in the middle ear)

• punctured ear drum or

• a cyst or tumor

The most common causes of hearing loss in adults are damage to the structures of the inner ear, or damage to the auditory nerve that sends those impulses from the inner ear to the brain. It is usually not reversible, but can often be helped with hearing aids.

Some causes are:

• injury

• noise

• infection or disease

• medicines and

• aging

Hearing loss can be gradual or sudden. The natural aging process also may cause hearing loss. Because hearing loss is often gradual, many adults are not aware of its presence. Rather, they may feel that people just do not speak clearly. Noise exposure is often responsible for loss of hearing, especially in the male population. Meniere's Disease is the third most common hearing disorder in adults. Symptoms include an off and on hearing loss, ringing in the ears, and balance problems.

If you suspect a hearing loss, contact your healthcare provider for a hearing test. A hearing test can determine the degree and type of hearing loss.

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