Overexposure to noise is the most common preventable cause of hearing loss and is one that is within our ability to control. 

Hearing loss has many other causes including:

• Aging (presbycusis)
  
• Congenital conditions
  
• Prenatal conditions, such as fetal alcohol syndrome or conflicting
  parental blood types
  
• Heredity
  
• Disease
  
• Repeated ear infections
  
• Wax build-up
  
• Trauma to the head or ears
  
• Tumors (acoustic neuromas)
  
• Auto-immune conditions
  
• Chemical/toxic damage to the ear (ototoxicity)
  
• Abnormalities of the tiny bones of the ears