What are the causes of hearing loss?
There are a variety of potential reasons why someone might experience hearing loss. While some causes are biological, such as age or a family history of hearing loss, others can be attributed to environmental factors. For instance, frequent exposure to excessive noise or smoking can potentially contribute to hearing loss. Many of my patients have hearing loss due to noise exposure from the workplace or the military. In addition, certain medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, or autoimmune diseases including thyroid disease can impact one's ability to hear. There are even medications that can cause hearing loss - these are called ototoxic medications. Finally, there are specific illnesses such as Meniere's disease or otosclerosis that are known to cause hearing loss. It's important to understand the potential causes of hearing loss in order to take appropriate steps to prevent it or access necessary treatment