Marcia B. Dugan

Written in collaboration with Self Help for Hard of Hearing People

Chapter Seven: Causes of Hearing Loss

There are many causes of hearing loss, including

• heredity
• accidents
• diseases such as measles, mumps, and spinal meningitis
• drugs
• noise
• aging

Heredity

A large proportion of hearing loss that occurs at birth or in the first few years of life is hereditary. Many types of adult-onset and progressive hearing loss are also hereditary. A hereditary (genetic) hearing loss is sometimes easy to identify from family history; a parent or a sibling also may have a loss. In some families, however, the gene that causes hearing loss is recessive, which means the hearing loss may be passed on by parents, even if they themselves do not have a hearing loss.

Accidents

Automobile and word-related accidents can result in head injuries. These injuries, in turn, can cause a dramatic hearing loss. It is usually sudden and traumatic.