Causes & Types of Hearing Loss

Types of Hearing Loss

There are essentially two types of hearing loss: conductive and sensorineural.

Conductive Hearing Loss

A conductive hearing loss occurs when the outer or middle ear does not efficiently transfer sound to the inner ear. In the outer ear common causes include ear wax and foreign objects in the ear canal. In the middle ear conductive hearing loss can be caused by an ear infection, fluid, perforation of the eardrum or otosclerosis, which is a bony growth on the middle ear bones. Most conductive hearing loss requires medical treatment and consists of approximately 5% of all hearing loss.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sensorineural hearing loss is the result of damage to the tiny hair cells or nerves of the inner ear. The most frequent causes of sensorineural loss include noise exposure, genetics, certain medications and aging. Sensorineural hearing loss is also referred to as nerve loss or nerve deafness. Most sensorineural hearing loss is treatable by the use of hearing devices. This type of loss is usually progressive in nature, so it is important to seek treatment as soon as symptoms arise. Delaying treatment can impact the effectiveness of the solution.

Speech Discrimination Loss

A possible secondary effect of sensorineural hearing loss is a reduction in the ability of the brain to interpret speech sounds. This is the result of sound distortion caused by damage to the hair cells in the inner ear or the auditory nerve. In some cases the hearing processing center of the brain itself is affected. When this happens, speech will be unclear even at the optimal volume level. Speech discrimination loss can limit how well speech will be understood even with the use of hearing devices. However, the consistent use of hearing devices has been shown to preserve further speech discrimination loss in many cases. In addition to hearing devices, the LACE rehabilitation program can help with this condition.

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