Don't fear
what you can't hear, We can help to make it Clear!
 See Types of Hearing Loss |
See Effects of Hearing Loss |
| See Hearing Loss Descriptors |
See Possible Solutions |
| See Prognosis |
See Hearing Loss Prevention |
| See Degrees of Hearing Loss |
TYPES OF HEARING LOSS
There are three basic types of hearing loss.
- Conductive hearing loss
- Sensorineural hearing loss
- Mixed hearing loss
The type is determined by identifying what part of the auditory process is damaged. A conductive loss occurs when sound is not conducted properly as sound moves from the outer ear, through the tympanic membrane (ear drum), and on into the middle ear which includes the proper movement of the ossicles (tiny bones in the middle ear). If any of these processes are hindered, hearing loss occurs. The outer ear may have an external ear infection where the skin can become inflamed. Ear wax is the most common cause of hearing loss. A common misnomer is that if there is any wax in the ear, a person might think that he/she has hearing loss. The truth is that the ear canal has to be completely impacted (like a plug in the ear) before hearing loss occurs.
The ear drum may develop scar tissue or a white chalky substance-if this happens, the bones will not vibrate as they should. Another common cause of a conductive hearing loss is Eustachian tube dysfunction. If a person has sinus/allergy problems and if the Eustachian tube stops opening and closing the way it should in healthy situations, fluid can build up in the middle ar causing pain, pressure, and reducing the vibrations necessary for sound to travel through the middle ear cavity. Not only does sound travel through the cavity, but because of the leverage of the tiny bones, the sound would normally be amplified at that stage of the hearing process. Conductive hearing loss is OFTEN corrected or at least improved by medical treatment.
Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the nerve cells in the inner ear (cochlea). As a person ages, presbycusis, this aging process can cause the nerve endings to be less responsive causing hearing loss. When a person is exposed to noise for a long period of time, he/she can get damage to these nerve cells in the cochlea. At first, the damage can be temporary. But after significant time exposure to loud noises, the person can develop noise-induced hearing loss which can be permanent. This type of hearing loss is not medically or surgically corrected. Hearing loss can be identified as the inability to hear sounds by presenting sound an finding out how loud that sound needs to be for the person to hear the sound. This sound level is measured in dB (decibels). However, with sensorineural hearing loss, a more critical hearing loss can occur-the diminished ability to understand speech clearly. When a person loses the ability to discriminate speech, it can be very difficult or even impossible to get it back.
Other physical issues can also cause sensorineural hearing loss like a tumor, viruses, or a trauma to the head. One common annoyance that many people suffer from is called tinnitus, which is like a constant ringing in the ear(s). This is often associated with sensorineural hearing loss, but not always.
Mixed hearing loss is a combination of both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. There may be loss due to both the outer/middle ear and the inner ear as well.
