Say What? 8 Ways to Lose Your Hearing

Cruising on a highway in a convertible with the top down and radio blasting may be one of the classic images that spring to mind when we think of the pleasures of driving an automobile.

Convertibles, medications and smoking can contribute to hearing loss.

(Getty Images)

In reality, such a scenario is more likely to be deafening, with the roar of the wind punctuated by sounds of traffic.

And according to a new study, the noise associated with driving a convertible can damage hearing over time.

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"The more you [drive], the more chance you have of developing permanent problems," said Dr. Philip Michael, an ear, nose and throat surgeon at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Birmingham, England, who presented his findings Tuesday at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology. "It's a cumulative risk." But beyond flashy cars, there are a several ways people may prematurely damage or lose part or all of their hearing before age or genetics do it.

And unlike other failed senses that can be restored with time and treatment, the ear is a fragile instrument that usually cannot be revived once it has been damaged.

The following is a list of ways hearing can be damaged and lost.