Why does it happen?  The most common cause of hearing loss is
loud noises. Although you may not feel pain until the sound
reaches 125 decibels—about the level of an exploding
firecracker—damage can occur at lower decibel levels. Certain
drugs, including some antibiotics, chemotherapies and even
aspirin, as well as infections of the middle and inner ear, can
also lead to hearing loss.  What are the signs?  Most hearing
loss is gradual. In fact, family and friends are often the first
to notice it. Some common signs of damage:  -Speech sounds
muffled, especially over the phone  -Difficulty hearing when
there is background noise  -Asking others to speak more slowly,
loudly or clearly  -Needing to turn up the volume of the
television or stereo  What tests should you have?  If you
suspect you're losing your hearing at any age, seek out a
licensed audiologist for baseline audiometric testing. (Wearing
headphones in a sound booth, you'll be asked to identify the
softest beep you can hear and repeat words and sentence