Common causes of hearing loss

There are two types of hearing loss, conductive hearing loss and sensory hearing loss.

Although both result in similar symptoms of reduced hearing, the common causes and medical solutions vary.

 

Conductive hearing loss

Those experiencing conductive hearing loss have impaired sound transmission in the outer or middle ear.

Causes include:

  • Accumulation of earwax

  • Ear infection or fluid in the middle ear

  • Damaged eardrum or middle ear bones

Solutions include:

  • Most often medically treated with high success.

  • Hearing aids and bone anchored implants are very successful if unable to treat medically.

 

Sensory hearing loss

In those with sensory hearing loss, the inner ear hair cells or hearing nerve are damaged and cannot send complete signals to the brain.

Causes include:

  • Aging process

  • Noise exposure

  • Hereditary factors

  • Drug induced hearing loss (chemotherapy)

Solutions include:

  • The best outcomes are with hearing devices and generally this cannot be corrected with medicine or surgery.

  • For severe to profound hearing loss cochlear implants may be used.

Hearing loss in New Zealand

  • Hearing loss affects about 1 in 6 New Zealanders.

  • This is expected to rise to 1 in 4 New Zealanders by 2050.

  • Over half the population aged between 60 and 70 have a hearing loss.

  • This increases to more than 70% of those over the age of 70 and 80% of those over the age of 80.

  • Based on Statistics New Zealand, in 2012 700,000 people were living with a hearing loss, and this will increase to 1.5 million by 2061.