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- Blood Glucose
- Diabetes
- Diabetes and Pregnancy
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- Diabetes Medicines
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- Ovarian Cancer
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- Ovarian Disorders
- Pelvic Floor Disorders
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Pelvic Pain
- Period Pain
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- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy and Drug Use
- Pregnancy and Opioids
- Premenstrual Syndrome
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- Prenatal Testing
- Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
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- Child Nutrition
- Cholesterol
- Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know
- Cholesterol Medicines
- DASH Eating Plan
- Eating Disorders
- Food Allergy
- HDL: The “Good” Cholesterol
- High Cholesterol in Children and Teens
- How to Lower Cholesterol
- How to Lower Cholesterol with Diet
- Infant and Newborn Nutrition
- LDL: The “Bad” Cholesterol
- Malabsorption Syndromes
- Nutrition for Older Adults
- Pregnancy and Nutrition
- Toddler Nutrition
- Triglycerides
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Hearing Disorders and Deafness
Summary
It’s frustrating to be unable to hear well enough to enjoy talking with friends or family. Hearing disorders make it hard, but not impossible, to hear. They can often be helped. Deafness can keep you from hearing sound at all.
What causes hearing loss? Some possibilities are:
- Heredity
- Diseases such as ear infections and meningitis
- Trauma
- Certain medicines
- Long-term exposure to loud noise
- Aging
There are two main types of hearing loss. One happens when your inner ear or auditory nerve is damaged. This type is usually permanent. The other kind happens when sound waves cannot reach your inner ear. Earwax buildup, fluid, or a punctured eardrum can cause it. Treatment or surgery can often reverse this kind of hearing loss.
Untreated, hearing problems can get worse. If you have trouble hearing, you can get help. Possible treatments include hearing aids, cochlear implants, special training, certain medicines, and surgery.
NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
NIH MedlinePlus Magazine
- 6 Ways to Communicate Better While You Wear a Mask
- A Journey with Mid-Life Hearing Loss: Don’t Wait to Seek Help for Hearing Issues
- By the Numbers: Hearing Loss Affects Millions
- Deafness Is Not a Burden
- Expanding Hearing Healthcare
- Helping Others Hear Better: Turning First-Hand Experience into Hearing Loss Advocacy
- Loud and Clear: What to Know About Hearing Loss
Patient Handouts
- Acoustic trauma Medical Encyclopedia
- Age-related hearing loss Medical Encyclopedia
- Audiometry Medical Encyclopedia
- Ear examination Medical Encyclopedia
- Hearing loss Medical Encyclopedia
- Occupational hearing loss Medical Encyclopedia
- Otosclerosis Medical Encyclopedia
- Sensorineural deafness Medical Encyclopedia
Older Adults
- Age-Related Hearing Loss National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
- Hearing Loss: A Common Problem for Older Adults National Institute on Aging
Genetics
- Age-related hearing loss: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Alström syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Björnstad syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Branchiootorenal/branchiootic syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Congenital deafness with labyrinthine aplasia, microtia, and microdontia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Craniofacial-deafness-hand syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Deafness-dystonia-optic neuronopathy syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Otopalatodigital syndrome type 1: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Otospondylomegaepiphyseal dysplasia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Pendred syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Perrault syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Sensorineural deafness and male infertility: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Stickler syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Townes-Brocks Syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Vohwinkel syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Waardenburg syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Weissenbacher-Zweymüller syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
Encyclopedia
- Aging changes in the senses Medical Encyclopedia
- Alport syndrome Medical Encyclopedia
- BAER – brainstem auditory evoked response Medical Encyclopedia
- Caloric stimulation Medical Encyclopedia
- Hearing and the cochlea Medical Encyclopedia
- Hearing loss and music Medical Encyclopedia
- Living with hearing loss Medical Encyclopedia
- Talking to someone with hearing loss Medical Encyclopedia
- Waardenburg syndrome Medical Encyclopedia
Specifics
- Alport Syndrome National Kidney Foundation
- Auditory Neuropathy National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
- Hearing and Balance Symptoms and Conditions American Academy of Audiology
- Noise-Induced Hearing Loss National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
- Otosclerosis National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
- Sudden Deafness National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
- Vestibular Schwannoma (Acoustic Neuroma) and Neurofibromatosis National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Related Issues
- American Sign Language National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
- Communicating Clearly While Wearing a Face Covering National Institutes of Health
- Conductive Hearing Loss American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
- Earbuds Nemours Foundation
- Earwax Blockage Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Noise and Occupational Hearing Loss Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Occupational Noise Exposure Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- Speech to Speech Relay Service Federal Communications Commission
- Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Federal Communications Commission
- Why You Shouldn’t Use Cotton Swabs to Clean Your Ears National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Living With
- Assistive Devices: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
- Hearing Aids: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
- Who Can I Turn to for Help with My Hearing Loss? National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Deafness National Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Hearing Disorders National Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Presbycusis National Institutes of Health
Find an Expert
- Directory of Organizations (Deafness and Communication Disorders) National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
- Find an Audiologist American Academy of Audiology
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Health Check Tools
- Do You Need a Hearing Test? National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Start Here
- Hearing Loss Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Children
- Hearing Loss (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
Diagnosis and Tests
- Hearing Problems American Academy of Family Physicians
- Hearing Tests for Adults National Library of Medicine
- Inquiring Ears Want to Know: A Fact Sheet about Your Hearing Test National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Reference Desk
- NIDCD Glossary National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Journal Articles
Statistics and Research
- Quick Statistics about Hearing National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
- Statistics about Hearing, Balance, Ear Infections and Deafness National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
- Too Loud! For Too Long! Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Treatments and Therapies
- Steroid Treatments Equally Effective Against Sudden Deafness National Institutes of Health