Hearing Loss

Hearing loss, impairment or deafness may be of two major types: one that develops some time in life, one that a baby is born with – or congenital deafness. Most commonly, hearing loss is seen with age or is caused by exposure to loud noises.

What is hearing loss?

More than 10 million people in the United Kingdom have some form of hearing loss. Of these about 688,000 are severely or profoundly deaf.

Treatment of hearing loss

What is Safe Listening?

Preventing Noise-induced Hearing Loss

Symptoms and Diagnosis of Hearing Loss

Newborn Hearing Screening

Recent Developments in Hearing Technology

Hearing Loss and Genetics

Age-Related Hearing Loss (ARHL) / Presbycusis

Hearing Loss Research

Dealing with Hearing Loss

Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL)

See more featured articles »

Causes of Hearing Loss

Conductive Hearing Loss

Types of Hearing Loss

Latest Hearing Loss News and Research

Scientists discover how two distinct genes guide regeneration of sensory cells in zebrafish

While humans can regularly replace certain cells, like those in our blood and gut, we cannot naturally regrow most other parts of the body. For example, when the tiny sensory hair cells in our inner ears are damaged, the result is often permanent hearing loss, deafness, or balance problems.

14 Jul 2025

Redefining Alzheimer’s development by mapping disease sequences

UCLA's study identifies distinct Alzheimer's disease trajectories, emphasizing the role of shared risk factors in early detection and targeted interventions.

9 Jul 2025

Children from culturally and linguistically diverse families more likely to have hearing loss

Children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families are more likely to have hearing loss compared to their ethnic majority peers, research led by The University of Queensland has found.

8 Jul 2025

Hearing aids and cochlear implants improve social lives of adults with hearing loss

Hearing loss doesn't just affect how people hear the world - it can also change how they connect with it.

4 Jul 2025

GATE complex discovery sheds light on CMV's evasion of immune defenses

New research from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and La Jolla Institute for Immunology, published today in Nature Microbiology, reveals an opportunity for developing a therapy against cytomegalovirus (CMV), the leading infectious cause of birth defects in the United States.

30 Jun 2025

Largest Indian genome study reveals 50,000 years of genetic history

With around 5,000 different ethno-linguistic and religious groups, India is one of the most culturally and genetically diverse countries in the world.

26 Jun 2025

Autophagy boosts precision in gene editing

Precision gene editing is crucial for treating genetic diseases, as it enables targeted correction of specific mutations.

12 Jun 2025

New clinical practice guideline advances surgical care for chronic rhinosinusitis

The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) published the new Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG): Surgical Management of Chronic Rhinosinusitis today in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.

27 May 2025

USPSTF urges universal syphilis screening in pregnancy to prevent congenital infections

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) reaffirms its recommendation for universal syphilis screening in pregnancy, citing strong evidence for early detection and prevention of congenital syphilis. Despite ongoing disparities and rising rates, early screening and treatment remain essential to improving outcomes for mothers and infants.

18 May 2025

Loneliness linked to higher risk of hearing loss in major study

A large-scale cohort study led by researchers from Tianjin University, Shenyang Medical College, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong has uncovered strong evidence that loneliness may independently increase the risk of hearing loss.

14 May 2025

Hearing aids may help older adults combat social isolation

Providing hearing aids and advice on their use may preserve social connections that often wane as we age, a new study shows.

12 May 2025

Hearing problems among newly arrived immigrants and language acquisition challenges

Among newly arrived immigrants studying Swedish, 17 percent reported problems hearing conversations.

10 May 2025

Deaf patients face persistent communication barriers in NHS care

A majority of individuals who are deaf or have hearing loss face significant communication barriers when accessing care through the National Health Service (NHS), with nearly two-thirds of patients missing half or more of vital information shared during appointments.

7 May 2025

New hope for sclerosteosis patients through Wnt pathway inhibition

Sclerosteosis arises from mutations in the SOST gene, causing abnormally high bone mass and skeletal overgrowth, which can lead to severe health issues such as hearing loss and increased intracranial pressure.

16 Apr 2025

Study finds connection between hearing impairment and heart failure risk

Hearing loss is linked to a heightened risk of developing heart failure, with the psychological distress caused by the impairment taking a key role in the observed association, finds a large long term study, published online in the journal Heart.

9 Apr 2025

Study identifies 17 modifiable risk factors shared between stroke, dementia, and depression

Age-related brain diseases such as stroke, dementia, and late-life depression are a debilitating part of growing older, but people can lower their risk of these diseases through behavioral and lifestyle changes.

3 Apr 2025

New method traces development of nervous system and inner ear cells

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have developed a method that shows how the nervous system and sensory organs are formed in an embryo.

3 Apr 2025

Study shows women can hear better than men

An international team of scientists has found that biological sex is the leading factor explaining differences in hearing sensitivity, with women having significantly more sensitive hearing than men.

From University of Bath 1 Apr 2025

Scientists discover key genes for regenerating cells in the ear and eye

The same genes could hold the key to regenerating cells in the ear and eye, according to a new mouse study from the USC Stem Cell laboratory of Ksenia Gnedeva, PhD, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

1 Apr 2025

Terahertz imaging reveals cochlear structures with high resolution

Researchers have discovered a groundbreaking use of terahertz (THz) imaging to visualize cochlear structures in mice, offering non-invasive, high-resolution diagnostics. By creating 3D reconstructions, this technology opens new possibilities for diagnosing hearing loss and other conditions.

27 Mar 2025