Deafness is the complete inability to hear sound. It can occur at any age. A person may go deaf all of a sudden due to an accident or a severe viral infection, or gradually over time as a result of disease, nerve damage or injury caused by noise. Ear infection, fluid build-up behind the eardrum, hole in the eardrum, some issue with the middle eardrum, genetic disease and birth defects can also result in hearing loss. Deafness is associated with age as well. About 3 in 1,000 babies are born deaf.
What Causes Deafness?
