Hearing Loss

When describing hearing loss, we usually look at three categories:

• Type of hearing loss,

• Degree of hearing loss,

• Configuration of hearing loss.

Let’s take a quick look at these three categories.

Type of Hearing Loss:  

Can be broken down by which part of the auditory system is damaged. There are three basic types of hearing loss:

Conductive Hearing Loss. 

Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is not conducted efficiently through the outer ear canal to the eardrum and the tiny bones (ossicles) of the middle ear. Conductive hearing loss usually involves a reduction in sound level or the ability to hear faint sounds. This type of hearing loss can often be corrected medically or surgically.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) occurs when there is damage to the inner ear (cochlea), or to the nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain. Most of the time, SNHL cannot be medically or surgically corrected. This is the most common type of permanent hearing loss.

Mixed Hearing Loss

Sometimes a conductive hearing loss occurs in combination with a sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL).  In other words, there may be damage in the outer or middle ear and in the inner ear (cochlea) or auditory nerve. When this occurs, the hearing loss is referred to as a mixed hearing loss.

Examples of Mixed Hearing Loss:

High tone hearing loss – the inability to hear high tones.            

Yes, a real reason why some men really can’t hear a woman’s voice!

Low tone hearing loss – inability to hear low tones such as male voices.