Approximately 28 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss and about a third of them have been affected by noise. Hearing loss can also be congential, due to an illness or disease process. It can be cause by medications taken to treat disease processes. It can be hereditary or caused by accidents. Some antibiotics, some diuretics, and even large doses of asprin can also cause hearing damage in some people.
Cochlear implants are the newest devices for hearing impairment.
This device, first researched in France in 1957 helps to convert sounds into electrical signals and transmit them to the inner ear. Its function is similiar to normal ear function. The implant electronically finds sounds and sends them to the brain. About 14,000 people have recieved cochlear implants in the United States with around half being children. The devices are used only when hearing aids don't provide sufficient hearing results.