“Can hearing loss be a hereditary thing?”
My grandfather lost his hearing at the age of 74 and my mother (his daughter) is now slowly hearing less. Could this be a hereditary issue? Will I also be affected with this problem? Are there any preventive measures she or I could take?
5 Answers
Hearing loss can be hereditary. If you and/or members of your family
suspect hearing loss, we first recommend the individuals have a full
hearing evaluation by an audiologist. Once a baseline is established,
treatment options may be discussed.
suspect hearing loss, we first recommend the individuals have a full
hearing evaluation by an audiologist. Once a baseline is established,
treatment options may be discussed.
Hereditary factors can make you more susceptible to hearing loss, but having members of your family that have developed hearing loss in their later years does not necessarily mean you will as well. I would recommend seeing an Audiologist for a comprehensive hearing evaluation. If your hearing is normal now, you will have a baseline from which to monitor changes in the future. Your mother should also have a comprehensive hearing evaluation. If a hearing loss is found, she may benefit from hearing aids. While hearing aids cannot prevent a progressive hearing loss, they can mitigate the other negative health effects of hearing loss, such as increased risk of cognitive decline and depression. I would also recommend that you protect your hearing by limiting your exposure to loud noises and wearing hearing protection any time you must be exposed to loud noises.
Angela R. Sieh Ceretto, M.A., CCC-A, FAAA
Angela R. Sieh Ceretto, M.A., CCC-A, FAAA
Yes, hearing loss can be hereditary. Your mother should be evaluated to determine if she has loss and how best to treat it. If hearing aids are recommended, do so as soon as possible. The auditory center of the brain needs to maintain stimulation to help aid in the prevention of cognitive decline
We often think of hearing loss being associated with aging or noise exposure but there can be a hereditary link. If you grandfather worked around a lot of noise like construction or the military, the noise can weaken the haircells in the inner ear (cochlea). If your mother is starting to have hearing loss around age 50 it could be hereditary. It would be best to have your hearing tested by an audiologist to get a baseline of your hearing as it is now, then get 1 every 1-2 years to monitor it, just like getting your vision checked. Everyone is different and you may not have inherited the hearing loss.
Good morning,
Developing hearing loss can be the result of many different factors, including genetics, aging, noise exposure, medications, conditions/diseases, etc. With that being said, obtaining a baseline hearing test will enable you and your family members the opportunity to see how well you are hearing at this point. While hearing is affected by
different causes, the one cause that you can absolutely control is noise exposure. A rule of thumb is that if the incoming noise is louder than a vacuum cleaner, ear protection should be used.
I hope this information is helpful and if there are any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Thanks,
Dr. Heather Untied-Leonard
Developing hearing loss can be the result of many different factors, including genetics, aging, noise exposure, medications, conditions/diseases, etc. With that being said, obtaining a baseline hearing test will enable you and your family members the opportunity to see how well you are hearing at this point. While hearing is affected by
different causes, the one cause that you can absolutely control is noise exposure. A rule of thumb is that if the incoming noise is louder than a vacuum cleaner, ear protection should be used.
I hope this information is helpful and if there are any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Thanks,
Dr. Heather Untied-Leonard
