Impaired hearing is normally a result of disease or abnormality of the outer, middle, or inner ear. When children are born with hearing defects it is nearly always genetic and if it is a dysfunction of the auditory nerve the prognosis is not improved by medical treatment or surgery. During early childhood they can suffer from otitis media when the air filled middle ear is filled with fluid, which acts as a breeding ground for germs. In early and middle adult life the usual cause for progressive impairment of hearing is otosclerosis. The usual cause of hearing loss after the age of 60 is presbyacusis, this disorder results from the aging process.
In most cases when loss of hearing is due to a problem with sound conduction, surgical restoration can correct the defect and restore hearing. When loss of hearing is the result of nerve damage, then surgery is not an option. Medical treatment of auditory nerve damage can be helpful when the loss is a result of syphilis or if it is an early case of Ménière’s disease it can also be caused by a zinc deficiency. However whilst the prognosis for the surgical treatment of auditory nerve damage is not good prevention is a more practical answer. Nerve damage can be a result of exposure to excessive loud noise for long periods of time, earmuffs or ear protection can help prevent damage to hearing at work and teenagers’ should be encouraged not to listen to music at high volume levels.
German measles can cause children to be born deaf, but pregnant mothers can avoid this by having the rubella vaccine before they are pregnant.