Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent disabling conditions affecting people of all ages in the United States. According to the National Center on Hearing Assessment and Management, one in every 10 adults suffers from hearing loss while nearly thirty-three babies are born deaf each year. Loss of hearing is usually a disability that affects people later in life. However, there are many instances where hearing loss in children occurs at birth or during childhood. How you live can greatly affect whether or not you will suffer a loss of hearing. Therefore, it is extremely important to always protect your ears and use precaution so you do not become a number in a statistic.

There are three common types of hearing loss, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) web site. The first is called conductive hearing loss, where muffled or faint sounds can’t be heard because of a blockage in the outer ear canal. This can occur from wax build-up or even damage to the small bones inside the middle ear. Conductive hearing loss can usually be corrected with surgery. Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when damage is done to the cochlea within the inner ear or to the nerve endings leading to the brain. This type of damage can occur because of an illness, disease, injury, or even medications. This type of hearing loss can’t be corrected with a surgical procedure. A mixed loss of hearing occurs when there is damage to both the inner and outer ear.

The ASHA lists several causes for hearing loss in adults. Disease and infection can lead to a loss of hearing, as well as certain medications and traumas to the head region. People commonly associate sudden hearing loss with exposure to loud noises at work or from listening to music, but this is not always the case. Meniere’s disease involves the membrane of the inner ear, and characterized by a ringing in the ear, deafness, or vertigo. Otosclerosis is a disease that affects the middle part of the ear and disrupts the movement of a tiny bone, called a stapes. Sudden hearing loss can occur when you are exposed to some sort of trauma, such as a ruptured eardrum or even a sudden change in air pressure. Noise levels can also lead to a loss of hearing if you are exposed to high levels over a prolonged time.

Hearing loss in children is a little different, mainly because the victims are a lot younger with less time to do damage to their hearing. Otis media, an inflammation of the middle ear from fluid build-up, occurs more commonly in infants and young children. Hearing loss in children from otis media is a temporary condition, and hearing returns once the fluid is gone. Congenital hearing loss in children occurs at birth, and the ASHA’s web site reports that research has shown more than fifty percent of these cases are genetic. Other reasons for congenital hearing loss in children are from premature birth, maternal diabetes, or toxemia during the pregnancy.

Although hearing loss is on the rise in America, there are solutions available. If you suffer from a sudden loss of hearing, or if your hearing has deteriorated over time, you need to visit your primary physician or an audiologist. Hearing aids are extremely helpful for patients suffering from extensive hearing loss, and these devices are also fitted for children. Take care of your hearing and treat your ears right. It’s never too late to take preventative steps.