Questions about Hearing Loss
What are the different categories of hearing loss?
Hearing loss occurs as a result of damage to and/or dysfunction of one or more parts of the ear. There are three general types of hearing loss: conductive, sensorineural, and mixed.
How Does the Ear Work?
The ear is divided into three sections: the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. The outer ear is the portion of the ear you can see plus the ear canal that leads down to the eardrum (tympanic membrane). The middle ear begins at the eardrum and includes three small bones. Together, the three bones are called the ossicles. The three middle ear bones are called the malleus (or hammer), the incus (or anvil) and the stapes (or stirrup). Sound waves travel down the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. The vibrations move the middle ear bones that in turn push a membrane. Behind the membrane is the fluid in the inner ear. The inner ear consists of both balance and hearing components. The hearing component is called the cochlea. The movement of the inner ear fluid in the cochlea results in electrical signals. These signals are sent to the hearing nerve and brain and we hear sound.
Types of Hearing Loss
There are three types of hearing loss: conductive, sensorineural and mixed loss.
Conductive Hearing Loss
Hearing loss that is caused by the damage to the outer or middle ear regions is called conductive hearing loss. This type of hearing loss attenuates sound, meaning everything sounds much quieter than normal. Conductive hearing loss is usually medically or surgically treatable.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Hearing loss caused by damage to the inner ear region or the auditory nerve (also called the hearing nerve) is called sensorineural hearing loss (more commonly known as nerve deafness). This type of hearing loss results in sounds being softer than they really are and is associated with distorted sound quality. Individuals with this type of hearing loss often complain of the impaired ability to hear and understand speech. There are many different causes for this type of hearing loss, including exposure to loud sounds, music or noise; or as a result of the aging process. The standard treatment for sensorineural hearing loss is the use of hearing aids.
Mixed Hearing Loss
Hearing loss that includes both sensorineural and conductive components.
