A guide to Hearing Loss, Ear infections and balance disorders

Are you experiencing mild hearing loss? Are you the parent of a child who has ‘glue ear?’What causes a perforated eardrum? Do you want to know more about digital hearing aids?

If so then you have come to the right place. This complete guide to hearing loss will answer those questions and any others you may have about hearing loss.

This comprehensive yet easy to understand guide includes information about the types of hearing loss, the causes of hearing loss, treatment for hearing loss and future developments.

Hearing loss varies according to the cause and the individual. One person may be lucky and only experience mild hearing loss whereas another may have a severe form. But some people are unfortunate enough to become completely deaf.

Losing your hearing is distressing but it is treatable in the vast majority of cases. For example, the ear condition otitis media causes a build up of fluid in the middle ear which affects hearing ability but this returns to normal once it is treated.

The causes of hearing loss are discussed in greater detail in this guide.

However, many of us will experience some form of hearing loss as we get older which is mainly due to the ageing process. The body doesn’t function quite as well as we age and things start to wear out. And this also includes our ability to hear.

But hearing aid technology is advancing all the time and new devices are available to deal with this. They are virtually unnoticeable and restore hearing and dignity to the older person.

Hearing loss doesn’t just affect older people: it can affect children as well who may experience problems with their hearing as a result of an accident, injury or illness. A small percentage of children are profoundly deaf from birth as a result of a genetic mutation.

If you are a concerned parent or a young person then find out more in our children and hearing loss section. This section discusses the causes and symptoms of hearing loss in children and the treatments that are available.

This guide is written in a largely jargon-free format but if medical terminology is used then an explanation is provided. Further information can be found in the glossary. The FAQs section contains a set of the most commonly asked questions about hearing loss.

Learn more about hearing loss�