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Hearing Problems

It is estimated that 1 in 5 people in the UK experience difficulties with hearing. Some people suffer from temporary hearing loss, while others are born with hearing impairment and some people experience permanent hearing loss as a consequence of a health condition or accident.

Types of hearing problem

There are many different types of hearing or audiology problems, which may contribute to either temporary hearing loss. There are two main types of hearing loss; these are:

  • Conductive hearing loss: this occurs when sounds cannot travel from the outer to the inner ear; this is usually the result of an obstruction or blockage.
  • Sensorineural hearing loss: this occurs when the hair cells inside the auditory nerve or cochlea are damaged; this may be caused by ageing or as a result of trauma or an accident.

Hearing impairment may be classed as mild, moderate or severe.

What causes hearing problems?

There are many possible causes of audiology problems; these include:

Causes of conductive hearing problems:

  • A build-up of ear wax
  • Glue ear: this is a condition, which occurs when fluid collects in the middle ear
  • Ear infection, also known as otitis media
  • An obstruction, such as a foreign body
  • A burst eardrum
  • Otosclerosis: this is a condition which occurs when an irregular enlargement of bone starts to form in the middle ear

Causes of sensorineural audiology problems:

  • Ageing (this is known as presbycusis): many people experience hearing loss as they get older. This is usually due to the natural deterioration of the sensitive hair cells in the ear. Most people start to experience hearing loss from the age of around 40.
  • Exposure to loud noises (this is known as acoustic trauma): the ear may be damaged as a result of long-lasting exposure to loud noises. This is common amongst people who work in noisy environments, such as musicians, construction workers and nightclub staff, but it may also be common in people who listen to music very loudly through their headphones.
  • Infection: viral infections of the inner ear, such as mumps or measles and the auditory nerve, such as rubella and mumps, may affect hearing.
  • Meningitis
  • Acoustic neuroma: this is a non-cancerous tumour, which grows on or around the auditory nerve.
  • Encephalitis: this is a condition, which causes the brain to become inflamed.
  • Meniere’s disease: this is a condition, which affects the area of the ear commonly known as the labyrinth.
  • Stroke
  • Multiple sclerosis

Deafness and audiology problems in children may be caused by inherited conditions, which may be associated with the development of the cochlea, chromosomal disorders or infections during pregnancy.