The cause of a hearing loss is dependent on the type of loss you have. The three most common loss types are conductive, sensorineural, and mixed hearing loss. This article examines these types of loss and the common causes for them.
Conductive Hearing Loss
Conductive hearing loss refers to any dysfunction that occurs in the outer or middle ear; the inner ear is typically functional. Those with a conductive loss are unable to capture sound and get it to the parts of the ear that work to hear. This type of loss can be caused by:
1) blockage of the ear canal
2) atresia or an occluded auditory canal
3) missing or malfunctioning ossicles or tympanic membrane
4) infection in the middle ear, characterized by otitis media
5) otosclerosis; the restriction of the movement of the three bones in the ossicular chain. (This typically affects women more than men)
Many types of conductive hearing loss are not permanent and can be treated by medical intervention. For example, blockages of the ear canal can be removed, antibiotic therapy can be prescribed for some types of otitis media, and skin grafting may be an option for repairing or reconstruction parts of the middle ear. An audiologist or an ENT can help determine the cause of a conductive hearing loss. Once the cause is identified, treatment options can be recommended and discussed.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Sensorineural losses, unlike conductive losses, occur when the dysfunction is located in the inner ear or along the nerve pathway from the inner ear to the brain stem. This type of loss is characterized by the individual’s inablility to perceive sounds at varying frequencies with the same level of intensity. Most often, the ability to hear high frequencies is lost, though, as in Meniere’s disease, the ability to hear low sounds is more greatly affected. Individuals with sensorineural losses tend to speak with an excessively loud voice, even in situations where that degree of volume is not required. They also have great difficulty understanding conversational speech because the loss prohibits them to differentiate which words are being spoken to them. For example, the high frequency sound from the f and s are unable to be heard. Imagine all the words you would not understand without these letter sounds.
The most common causes of sensorineural hearing loss are genetics, aging, and noise exposure. Medications, diseases associated with small vessel disease, arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease are all associated with a higher incidence of hearing loss.
In most cases, sensorineural hearing loss is not treatable with medication or surgery. For people with this type of hearing loss, hearing aids are the most effective treatment.
Mixed Hearing Loss
Mixed hearing loss is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss, and has the previously mentioned causes.
Unfortunately, even if you practice a healthy lifestyle, the many of us will slowly develop hearing loss due to the natural aging process. The inner ear hair cells do not replace themselves, and once they are lost, their purpose is not recovered.
