Hearing loss is a common disability in the United States, affecting more than 28 million people. 14% of those aged 45-65, and 30% of those between the ages of 65 and 74, experience some form of hearing loss.
There are two types of hearing loss, sensorineural and conductive.
Causes of sensorineural hearing loss include, but may not be limited to, very loud noise, a viral
infection of the inner ear, certain
drugs, or Meniere's disease. In addition, sensorineural hearing loss may be hereditary.
Conductive hearing loss occurs when the three bones of the ear (ossicles) fail to transmit sound to the cochlea or when the eardrum is unable to vibrate because of some mechanical difficulty.
Recently, the Federal government warned of the resurgence of
kernicterus as a cause of hearing loss. Kernicterus may occur to newborns who suffer from
jaundice. Your doctor's
failure to properly treat jaundice that causes kernicterus, which subsequently causes hearing loss, may be malpractice.
See Also
- Ear, Nose, & Throat Disorders
- Bacterial Meningitis - Diagnosis Errors
- Ballou High School - Washington, D.C.
- Firefighter, Police Officer & EMT Hearing Loss: Overview
- Fireworks: Overview
- Gentamicin
- Georgetown, Texas
- Group B Strep - Diagnosis Errors
- Hearing Loss & Construction Equipment
- Hills, Iowa
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Mercury
- Minocin / Minocycline Hydrochloride
- Olin Corporation Plant - McIntosh, Alabama
- Perchlorate
- Platinol / Cisplatin: Overview
- Toluene
- Toxic Mold
- Vicodin / Acetaminophen & Hydrocodone Bitartrate
- Willow Bark / Salix Species: Overview