In order to understand hearing loss, it is important to first have a basic understanding of the anatomy of the ear. The ear is made up of three parts: the Outer Ear, the Middle Ear, and the Inner Ear. All sound sources send sound waves, or vibrations, into the air, and these are funneled into the ear canal by the Outer Ear. Once the sound waves reach the eardrum, they pass into the Middle Ear, where they are conducted by small bones to the Inner Ear. The Inner Ear contains the auditory nerve, and this is where sound vibrations are processed into sound our brain can understand.

This is the natural function of a working ear, but damage or irregularity in any of these three parts can result in a hearing loss. Listed below are the basic questions that are frequently discussed when learning about hearing loss.

What are the causes of hearing loss?

Hearing loss may be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from the accumulation of earwax and the perforation of the eardrum to excessive exposure to noise, hereditary factors and age. Other causes include previous ear infections, colds and respiratory issues, childhood diseases and head traumas. The only way to be certain about a hearing loss, and its causes, is to have a Certified Hearing Health Care Professional conduct a complete hearing test.

Are there different types of hearing loss?

Yes, there are two types, conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss originates from problems occurring in the Outer Ear or the Middle Ear, such as excessive earwax and infection. Sensorineural hearing loss results from problems in the Inner Ear, which tend to be caused by factors such as head injuries and, most frequently, age. 

There are also four designated levels of hearing loss: mild, moderate, severe and profound. These are categorized based on the decibel level the person with hearing loss is unable to hear. For example, those with a mild hearing loss will be unable to hear sounds between 26dB and 40dB – these are sounds like birds chirping or leaves rustling in the trees. Someone with a profound hearing loss cannot hear sounds below 81dB of volume, which would include the sounds of a truck rumbling down a street, a rock band or the sound of a gunshot. These designations are instrumental in determining the kind of hearing aid that is appropriate in solving each person’s loss.

What are the differences between conductive and sensorineural hearing losses?

Conductive and sensorineural hearing loss are different from each other in that they affect different types of sounds. Conductive hearing loss prevents the listener from hearing low-pitched sounds like “o” and “u”. In these circumstances, the loudness but not the clarity of speech is affected. Sensorineural hearing loss prevents the listener from hearing high-pitched speech sounds like “s”, “f”, “sh” and “t”. This has the impact of breaking up sentences, and negatively affects the clarity of speech. 

Additionally, conductive hearing loss can often be addressed medically or surgically, whereas sensorineural hearing loss cannot. However, both are most often effectively addressed with the use of hearing aids.

Hearing loss resulting from age is most likely to be a sensorineural hearing loss.

To determine whether or not you have a hearing loss, book a no cost hearing test with a Certified Hearing Health Care Professional today.