by Catalogs.com Info Guru Oliver Vandervoort

If you have just been to the doctor and they told you that you might need a hearing aid, it can actually be quite a blow.

There are far too many different ways that we can lose hearing and there are very few ways in which we can get it back. There are tools out that there that can help us when we are starting to lose the ability to hear as well as we would have hoped. If you need to start using a hearing aid, there are types that will almost help us hear as well as we did in our youth. If you want to avoid needing one, you can take steps to stay away from damage. Here are the top ten causes of hearing loss so that you can take precautions early.

10. Smoking

While there is plenty of talk about the damage that smoking can do to the heart and lungs there is also plenty of damage to the ears. When you smoke, that smoke is close to the ear. That smoke flows and delivers nicotine to the ear canal. The nicotine constricts the blood vessels which damages hearing.

9. Drugs

Drugs that are actually built to help us treat diseases like cancer through chemotherapy can actually have the unintended side effects of causing hearing loss. Drug abuse in general can also damage parts of the body like the fine hairs inside the ear.

8. Injury

It probably isn’t much of a surprise that a blow to the ear runs the very real risk of causing hearing loss. Boxers and other professionals that deal with blows to the head regularly are going to run the highest risk of seeing hearing loss from this, but one accidental blow can do the job as well.

7. Chronic Diseases

There are several different diseases that can cause sudden and sometimes permanent deafness. There are diseases like mumps that people might never think of as far as causing hearing loss.

6. Tumors or Growths

Tumors or growths in the ear can pop up and block off the ear canal. That essentially means that hearing loss has occurred. Some of these growths are able to be removed, others will make the hearing loss permanent.

5. Explosive Noises

Explosive noises are one of the most obvious causes and one of the most common. To some degree you can avoid these kinds of problems, but they are plenty of explosive noises that can sneak up on you. Take as many precautions as you can. The good news is that some hearing loss from this can be temporary.

4. Earbuds

More and more people are using earbuds and headphones thanks to the explosion of smartphones that allow you to play music and watch video. The problem is that the ear was never built to hear noises that loud or that close. Longtime exposure can increase hearing loss.

3. Earwax Buildup

Earwax buildup can cause hearing loss the same way that a tumor or growth can cause the loss. The wax is literally blocking the ear canal and isn’t letting sound waves through. Luckily you are usually going to get full hearing back once you clear out the wax.

2. Age

Age affects the human body in hundreds of different ways. Unfortunately for some, one of those effects is that you can suffer a loss of hearing. As a general rule, this kind of loss due to age is permanent, but can be stopped thanks to hearing aids and other tools.

1. Prolonged Exposure At Work

Prolonged exposure to loud noises at work can affect your hearing over a period of time. People who work at loud construction sites or airports are most susceptible but really any job that has lots of noise can be a culprit.