Hearing loss develops when there is a problem with one or more parts of the ear. For many people, hearing loss is a normal consequence of aging and the appearance is so gradual as not to perceive the deterioration of their hearing. Apart from aging, hearing loss can be caused by other factors. The main ones are:
- Heredity. One of causes of hearing loss is the heredity and more commonly the diseases that the mother passed during the pregnancy on the fetus and that have straight impact on the acoustic ability of the child. In addition to the diseases, drug consuption of the mother during the pregnancy can also significantly affect the fetus.
- Acquired hearing loss. Acquired hearing loss may be due to: a) Diseases of the medium and inner ear such as chronic otitis, rupture or drum perforation, mastoiditis, otosclerosis, Ménière syndrome, etc.
b) some extraordinary events that have happened in our lives such as a head injury (fractures of hearing ossicles), prolonged taking of ototoxic drugs, acoustic trauma such as the damaging effect of noise in the inner ear or noise that was short and strong (clack) or was lower intensity but for a long duration (in work environment with heavy machinery) etc.
- Presbycusis. Presbycusis is the result of the normal aging of the body and has to do with the degeneration of inner ear cells. This does not mean that it is the rule, since a large number of elderly people do not have any hearing loss even at ages 80-90 years.