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Hearing Disorders and Deafness
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Older Adults

Hearing Disorders and Deafness

Hearing disorders can make it difficult to communicate, while deafness may prevent the perception of sound entirely; however, many conditions are manageable or treatable.

Overview

It is frustrating to be unable to hear well enough to enjoy talking with friends or family. Hearing disorders make it hard, but not impossible, to hear, and they can often be helped. Deafness can keep you from hearing sound at all.

Causes

There are several factors that contribute to hearing loss, including:

  • Heredity
  • Diseases such as ear infections and meningitis
  • Trauma
  • Certain medicines
  • Long-term exposure to loud noise
  • Aging

Types of Hearing Loss

There are two main types of hearing loss:

  • Inner ear or auditory nerve damage: This type is usually permanent.
  • Obstruction: This occurs when sound waves cannot reach your inner ear. Common causes include earwax buildup, fluid, or a punctured eardrum. Treatment or surgery can often reverse this kind of hearing loss.

Treatment and Management

Untreated, hearing problems can get worse. If you have trouble hearing, you can get help. Possible treatments include hearing aids, cochlear implants, special training, certain medicines, and surgery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss—often defined as an unexplained, rapid loss of hearing in one ear occurring over hours or up to three days—is an otologic emergency. People frequently mistake this for earwax, congestion, or sinus allergies. You should seek emergency medical attention or an immediate appointment with an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist. Prompt treatment with high-dose corticosteroids, ideally within 72 hours and no later than two to three weeks, provides the highest chance of restoring nerve function before hearing loss becomes permanent.
traditional hearing aid works like a miniature amplifier; it receives sound waves, makes them louder, and sends them through the ear canal to stimulate remaining sensory hair cells in the cochlea. A cochlear implant is surgically placed and bypasses non-functional inner ear hair cells altogether. It converts external sounds into coded electrical impulses, delivering them directly to the auditory nerve. Implants are primarily indicated for individuals with moderate-to-profound sensorineural deafness who receive little or no benefit from conventional hearing aids.
Consistent or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 decibels (roughly equivalent to heavy city traffic, lawnmowers, or noisy food blenders) can cause permanent damage to sensory hair cells over time, while sudden noise over 120 decibels (such as gunshots or jet engines) can cause immediate acoustic trauma. Prevention includes wearing rated earplugs or noise-canceling earmuffs in loud industrial or recreational environments, keeping personal listening devices at or below 60% volume, and following the 60-minute listening rule before taking quiet breaks.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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