Eating for two

A Couple of Leading Causes of Hearing Loss in Adults

20 November 2020

Louis Stone

When some people think of hearing loss, they tend to assume that one is born with this condition. Thus, if you can hear, you likely think that you are not at risk of losing this sense unless something seriously catastrophic happens to you. Granted, numerous children are born with hearing loss that is caused by birth defects, genetic mutations or hereditary factors. But this does not mean that you cannot be deaf later on in life. Knowing the various threats posed to your hearing not only informs your decisions when navigating your day-to-day life but also helps you identify the potential signs of a serious underlying problem early. The following piece outlines a couple of the leading causes of hearing loss in adults.

Blaring noises

Your ears are complex auditory systems that comprise a multitude of hair cells. These hair cells function to convert any sounds they are exposed to into neural signals that are sent to your brain. However, it is also crucial to note that these same sounds also have the potential of damaging the hair cells irreparably. Occasional or continual exposure to blaring noises puts you at risk of hearing loss through damaged cells, so it is imperative that you are wary about what types of sounds you are exposing yourself to. Your line of work can increase your risk of hearing loss if you are not equipped with the right protective gear. Similarly, your hobbies can also increase the threat of deafness, especially if you routinely visit the shooting range or attend concerts regularly.

Ototoxic drugs

The term ototoxicity refers to the poisoning of the ear. Thus ototoxic drugs are medications that have a propensity of causing damage to one's hearing by affecting other the vestibulocochlear nerve or the inner ear. While some people may not develop any symptoms at the onset, others will typically complain of ringing in their ears, a slight change in their hearing (which is usually indicative of minor hearing loss), experiencing trouble with their balance and so on. Left unchecked, this could lead to deafness. So which types of drugs are at risk of causing the ototoxic hearing loss? A few of the medications that should have you visit a hearing clinic the moment you sense that something could be off include non-steroidal anti-inflammatorily drugs, water pills, antibiotics and so on. Fortunately, some alternatives can be prescribed so you can have your medications changed in good time.

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