EarDrops.com

There are multiple causes for hearing loss in adults, but these causes can be classified into two main categories; conductive causes and sensorineural causes.

Conductive hearing loss occurs due to the presence of a physical obstacle in the way of the motion of the sound waves through the affected ear, like in the ear canal blockage. Some examples of the conductive causes of hearing loss are:

- Clogging of the external auditory meatus, due to building up of the ear wax (cerumen), accumulation of blood (hematoma), or the presence of some foreign objects.

- Perforation of the eardrum, due to trauma caused directly by pushing a cotton pellet or a finger in the middle ear, otitis media, or blast injuries

- Ossicle dislocation due to severe trauma to the ear

- Infection of the middle ear (otitis media)

- Swelling of the external part of the ear canal due to infection (otitis externa)

Sensorineural hearing loss is this type of deafness that occurs due to the destruction of the hair cells or the nerve endings of the auditory nerve, which are responsible for feeling the waves of the sound. The Sensorineural causes for hearing loss
include:

- Acoustic trauma, due to the exposure to very loud noises for a long period of time, usually such loud voices reduce the sensitivity of the cochlea in the inner ear.

-Ear squeeze or barotrauma, as in divers

- Severe head injury that causes the fracture of the temporal bone in the skull

-Some medications, called ototoxic drugs, can harm the auditory or hearing nerve when taken in small doses for a long
time, like :

• Certain types of antibiotics, especially erythromycins and aminoglycosides
• Diuretic drugs
• Aspirin and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) e.g. naproxen and ibuprofen
• Anti-neoplastic medications (drugs for treating cancer)

- Diseases of the blood vessels, like polycythemia, sickle cell anemia, and leukemia

- Renal problems

- Meniere syndrome, this is a disease affecting the inner ear causing hearing impairment and loss of balance, it is usually accompanied with vertigo and tinnitus

- Tumors in the hearing nerve, or Acoustic neuroma

- Different types of infections, like mumps, influenza, measles, herpes simplex, herpes zoster, syphilis, and meningitis.

Finally, one of the most common causes for hearing loss is aging, this type of hearing loss is known as presbycusis

Ear infection can occur to anyone, but unfortunately it occurs mostly in infants and young children. This type of infection is very common in outer ear “otitis externa” and in middle ear “otitis media”. It is usually accompanied with pain (earaches) and unpleasant feeling, furthermore, main complication of a chronic ear infection is the partial loss of hearing, due to accumulation of mucous and fluid within the ear tube.

Ear infection occurs as a result of bacterial, fungal or viral invasion of the ear tissues, this invasion happens due to many reasons ranging from accumulation of mucous, especially after exposure to common cold, allergy, sore throat, or in cases of applying a non-sterile foreign object or material into the ear. Sharing hearing aids and earnings or spending prolonged periods in unclean swimming pools, increase massively the susceptibility of acquiring ear infections.

Earaches (pain), raised temperature, feeling unwell, nausea, gagging, and vomiting are most common symptoms of an ear infection. Usually this condition subsides within a few days, but if
symptoms like continuous high temperature, sharp pain, or presence of discharge (blood or pus) occur, then medical interference is a mandatory.

Inflammation and swelling (due to accumulation of pus or fluid inside the ear) in untreated cases of the ear infection can lead to perforation of the ear drum causing permanent loss of hearing.

Antibiotics and analgesics (painkillers) are usually enough to treat an ear infection.