E-mail this page to a friend Larger Font Size Choose an illness or disability Choose an illness or disability Alzheimer's Disease Amputation Arthritis Asperger Syndrome Attention Deficit Disorder Autism Batten Disease Burn Injuries Celiac Disease Cerebral Palsy Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Crohn's Disease Cystic Fibrosis Dementia Diabetes Down Syndrome Dwarfism Epilepsy Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Fibromyalgia Hearing Loss and Deafness HIV and AIDS Huntington's Disease Intellectual Disability Learning Disabilities Lupus Multiple Sclerosis Narcolepsy Pervasive Developmental Disorders Polio and Post-Polio Syndrome Psoriasis Rare Diseases Scleroderma Speech and Language Impairments Spina Bifida Spinal Cord Injury Thyroid Diseases Traumatic Brain Injury Tuberous Sclerosis Turner Syndrome Ulcerative Colitis Unintentional Injury Vision Problems and Blindness Williams Syndrome

Hearing Loss and Deafness

Home > Illnesses and Disabilities Home > Types of Illnesses & Disabilities > Hearing Loss and Deafness

Hearing loss comes in many forms. It can range from a mild loss in which you miss certain high-pitched sounds to total hearing loss, or deafness. Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting older adults. But it can affect people of all ages.

There are two main types of hearing loss:

One happens when your inner ear or auditory nerve is damaged. The inner ear is the part of your ear that creates nerve signals in response to sound waves. The auditory nerve then carries these signals from your inner ear to your brain. Hearing loss due to inner ear or auditory nerve damage is permanent.

The other type of hearing loss happens when sound waves cannot reach your inner ear. This problem can be caused by earwax buildup, fluid buildup due to an ear infection, or a hole in your eardrum. Your eardrum is the sheet of tissue at the end of your ear canal that vibrates in response to sound waves. This type of hearing loss can be treated. Possible treatments include:

• medicines (such as antibiotics to treat ear infections)
• surgery (such as surgery to close a hole in the eardrum)
• hearing aids

Causes of hearing loss and deafness include:

• loud noises
• ear infections
• certain medicines
• a severe blow to the head
• genes (certain types of hearing loss can run in families)

Additional Resources

Publications

1.   Captions For Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Viewers - This fact sheet is about different methods of displaying spoken words in text on the television and theatre screens. It discusses new technologies and legal issues and provides a list of sources on captioning.

   http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/caption.asp

2.   Cochlear Implants - This brochure provides information on cochlear implants, a technology that can provide sense of sound to the profoundly deaf or hard of hearing. It explains how they work, who gets them, how to receive one, and what the future may hold for cochlear implants.

   http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/coch.asp

3.   Hearing Aids - This brochure about hearing aids contains information on hearing loss, how common it is and how to find out if you have hearing loss. It goes on to explain how hearing aids can help, what the different kinds of hearing aids are, how they work, and what patients should expect from hearing aids. It also has a list of questions patients should ask before buying hearing aids, an explanation of possible hearing aid problems, tips for taking care of the devices, and whom to contact for more information.

   http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/hearingaid.asp

4.   Hearing, Ear Infections and Deafness - This site links to detailed information on the different causes of hearing loss in both children and adults. It also links to information on screening for hearing loss and communication options for people who are deaf or hearing impaired.

   http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/

5.   Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Fact Sheet - This fact sheet explains what noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is, what sounds can cause it. It explains how NIHL can be prevented and what research is currently being done.

   http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/noise.asp

6.   Ten Ways to Recognize Hearing Loss

7.   The Noise in Your Ears: Facts About Tinnitus - This publication explains what causes tinnitus and what you should do if you have tinnitus or ringing in the ears. It also discusses what you and hearing experts can do to relieve the symptoms.

   http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/noiseinear.asp

8.   Work-Site Accommodation Ideas for Individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing - This publication explains what factors relating to hearing loss and job duties should be considered when making accomodations for hearing impaired employees. It also gives work accommodation ideas to help with the process.

   http://www.jan.wvu.edu/media/Hearing.html

Organizations

1.   National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, HHS
2. Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
3. American Hearing Research Foundation
4. American Speech-Language Hearing Association
5. Laurent Clerc National Education Center
6. National Association of the Deaf

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated May 15, 2008.