How do you become deaf? There are many possible causes of deafness. Some people are born deaf due to heredity, exposure to disease during the pregnancy, birth defect affecting the formation of the ear, or a genetic condition. However, most cases of deafness happen after birth. Some common causes of deafness include noise exposure, aging, trauma, and exposure to chemicals or medications that damage the inner ear.

There are two ways of becoming deaf due to noise. How you become deaf from sudden noise is if the noise ruptures the eardrum. This type of deafness is usually temporary. A perforated eardrum heals naturally unless the damage is severe. The other way to become deaf from noise is through long-term exposure. The noise-induced deafness may occur from normal noise throughout one’s lifetime or from prolonged exposure to a noisy environment like working in an industrial setting.

Age-related deafness can be caused from noise exposure of a change in the flexibility of the bony structures of the ear. Age-related deafness is a common condition called presbycusis.

Exposure to certain diseases can cause deafness. Rubella, influenza, mumps, and meningitis can cause deafness. There are also diseases of the ear that can cause hearing loss or deafness. Otosclerosis is a disease of the ear characterized by growths in the middle ear, inner ear, or both. Otosclerosis can cause deafness.

Ear infections, if left untreated, can cause deafness or hearing loss. Severe ear infections are the most common cause of deafness that develops during childhood. If promptly treated, ear infections rarely cause permanent hearing loss.

Trauma can cause deafness if the trauma damages the ear. Skull fractures, blows to the head, or blows to the ear could damage the structure of the ear and cause deafness. Swelling of the brain due to head trauma can cause the pressure of the swelling to damage the ear.

Exposure to some environmental toxins causes deafness. Some medications can cause deafness by damaging the inner ear. Deafness or hearing loss from toxic substances or medications is called ear poisoning or ototoxicity.

The cause of the deafness is often unidentified. Idiopathic hearing loss is hearing loss for which the cause is unknown. Sudden hearing loss is often idiopathic.