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.

Types of Hearing Loss

Newborn Hearing Screening

Hearing Loss Research

Hearing Loss and Genetics

Causes of Hearing Loss

Dealing with Hearing Loss

What is Safe Listening?

Preventing Noise-induced Hearing Loss

Symptoms and Diagnosis of Hearing Loss

Treatment of hearing loss

Recent Developments in Hearing Technology

See more featured articles »

Age-Related Hearing Loss (ARHL) / Presbycusis

Conductive Hearing Loss

Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL)

Latest Hearing Loss News and Research

Multimorbidity linked to shorter lifespans in aging dogs

As dogs age, many develop more than one chronic health condition. New research from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) shows those conditions can dramatically shorten a dog's lifespan, highlighting the importance of managing multiple diseases together rather than individually.

31 Aug 2026

Cell proliferation gene plays a distinct role in cells that no longer proliferate

In a tale of identities as divergent as "The Prince and the Pauper," a well-known cancer-causing gene also influences cells in a zombie-like state meant to prevent cancer.

28 Aug 2026

New platform enables large-scale production of custom proteins

Scientists have been hard at work for more than 20 years to instruct biological systems, such as E. coli cells, to produce proteins they don't naturally do.

27 Aug 2026

Harnessing neuroplasticity to improve cochlear implant adaptation

Cochlear implants have transformed what is possible for people with profound hearing loss. But the next major advance may depend less on the device itself than on the brain's ability to learn how to use it.

10 Aug 2026

New review advances understanding of biological mechanisms driving Ménière's disease

A comprehensive new review is bringing together the latest advances in Ménière's disease, offering a clearer picture of the biological mechanisms that may drive this complex inner ear disorder while highlighting new directions for diagnosis, disease modeling, and treatment.

6 Aug 2026

Brain's extracellular matrix controls learning windows and memory stability

For many who have struggled to learn a new language or instrument, it's a familiar pattern: they make rapid progress at first, then hit a plateau that no amount of diligent practice or concentration seems to break.

6 Aug 2026

Targetable MYH9 gene drives cancer progression and inherited genetic disorders

A comprehensive new review article highlights the growing importance of the MYH9 gene as a central player in both cancer biology and inherited genetic conditions, offering fresh perspectives on its potential as a therapeutic target.

6 Aug 2026

Longer lives now come with more years spent in poor health worldwide

Global life expectancy rose from 64.6 to 73.8 years between 1990 and 2023, but healthy life expectancy did not keep pace. The widening morbidity gap means most populations now spend a decade or more in poor health.

26 Jul 2026

Bio-inspired ear probe may enhance early hearing loss diagnosis

Binghamton University Assistant Professor Jian Zhou, PhD '18, will lead a five-year, $1.84 million project funded by the National Institutes of Health to create a dual-sensing ear canal probe that will more accurately and reliably detect otoacoustic emissions.

23 Jul 2026

Global study reveals widening gap between lifespan and healthspan

People around the world are living longer than ever before but spending more of those additional years in poor health, according to a new Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study published in The Lancet Public Health.

21 Jul 2026

Trans-tympanic optical stimulation of the cochlea evokes reliable auditory responses

A new study, using Mongolian gerbils as an animal model, demonstrated for the first time that trans-tympanic infrared laser stimulation of the cochlea evokes reliable, auditory-guided behaviour in awake animals without the need for genetic modification or invasive surgical implantation.

17 Jul 2026

Global study reveals country-specific patterns in dementia risk factors

A major, USC-led study of more than 214,000 older adults across 14 countries and regions finds that the most common controllable risk factors for dementia - such as low education, high blood pressure and smoking - vary widely from country to country, meaning a one-size-fits-all approach to prevention won't work everywhere.

12 Jul 2026

USC researcher wins NIH grant to study how the cochlea processes complex sounds

USC researcher Karolina Charaziak, PhD, has been awarded a $3.3 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Project (R01) grant to study how the cochlea, the part of the inner ear responsible for hearing, processes complex sounds encountered in everyday life.

7 Jul 2026

Brighter daytime light is linked to a lower dementia risk

The study finds that greater exposure to daytime light may lower dementia risk, pointing to light's role in enhancing circadian rhythms and cognitive function.

29 Jun 2026

Hearing aids may lower dementia risk in adults with epilepsy and hearing loss

Adults with both epilepsy and hearing loss who use hearing aids may have a 23% lower risk of developing dementia than those who do not, according to new research presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2026.

26 Jun 2026

NIH funds University of Minnesota research on congenital cytomegalovirus infection

A University of Minnesota Medical School research team has received a new 5-year, $3.87 million R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate how the immune system protects against congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.

23 Jun 2026

Poll reveals gaps in brain health awareness among older adults

Nearly all Michiganders age 50 and over say it's very important to keep their brains healthy as they grow older, a new poll finds.

18 Jun 2026

Genetic screening of LOXHD1 variants guides early hearing loss intervention

Hearing loss is a common cause of disability worldwide, with anywhere between 30-60% of cases being caused by genetic factors. LOXHD1 is a gene integral to essential protein interactions responsible for maintaining normal hair cell function.

11 Jun 2026

Experimental two‑in‑one vaccine shows success in human LASSARAB trial

Researchers from Thomas Jefferson University and the University of Maryland School of Medicine have reported encouraging results from the first human clinical trial of LASSARAB, an experimental vaccine designed to protect against Lassa fever and rabies in a single formulation.

9 Jun 2026

Senior Care Authority kicks off Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month with six science-backed habits that may help reduce dementia risk

An estimated 7.4 million Americans aged 65 and older are now living with Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association's 2026 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures report, and that number is projected to climb to nearly 13 million by 2050.

5 Jun 2026