Learn about some of the three primary types of hearing loss, what causes them, and their degrees.
Conductive Hearing Loss
With conductive hearing loss, something — usually a physical condition or disease — is preventing sound from being conducted effectively from the outer or middle ear to the inner ear, where nerves are stimulated to carry sound to the brain.
Often, the causes of conductive hearing loss can be identified and treated.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Sensorineural hearing loss is when there is a problem with the sensory and/or neural structures in the inner ear. Causes of sensorineural hearing loss include exposure to loud noises, certain illnesses and medications, genetics, and trauma.
Although sensorineural hearing loss is almost always permanent, people who have it often benefit from hearing aids.
Mixed Hearing Loss
As you might expect, mixed hearing loss is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. This means there is a problem in the outer or middle ear and in the inner ear simultaneously.
This type of hearing loss ranges in severity from mild to profound.