Different Types of Hearing Loss

Hearing ability, one of the five important senses, enables us to communicate with others and enjoy a number of activities in our lives. Normal hearing depends upon a correct working of all parts of the auditory pathway, including internal ear, middle ear, external ear, auditory nerve and a connection between brain and auditory nerve. Partial or total inability to hear the sound in one or both ears is known as hearing loss. It affects your health as well as your lifestyle.

Hearing loss is due to various causes such as ear infections, trauma, blockage of ear canal, etc. There are different types of hearing loss, depending upon which part of the auditory system is affected. Major levels of hearing loss are conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, central hearing loss, functional hearing loss and mixed hearing loss.

• Conductive Hearing Loss: It is due to interference with transmission of sound through outer and middle ear to inner ear. This type of hearing loss results from some physical problems such as blockage of ear canal, foreign body or hematoma, obstructed external ear canal due to cerumen, perforated tympanic membrane due to direct trauma, blast injury or otitis media.
• Sensorineural Hearing Loss: In this type of hearing loss, there is a damage in inner ear, acoustic nerve or both. This condition is also known as nerve deafness. Some of the causes of sensorineural hearing loss are barotraumas or ear squeeze, acoustic trauma due to prolonged exposure to loud noises, head trauma such as fracture of temporal bone and ototoxic drugs such as diuretics, antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Central Hearing Loss: Central hearing loss is associated with central nervous system. Some people are able to hear well, but are unable to understand or interpret what is being said. This type of hearing loss is due to a problem along the pathway from inner ear to auditory region of brain. It may be in the brain itself.
• Functional Hearing Loss: It is associated with a psychological or emotional problem, rather than physical damage to hearing pathway. It is very difficult to understand the specific emotional cause.
• Mixed Hearing Loss: This type of hearing loss results from both sensorineural and conductive components. People with sensorineural hearing loss may also have middle ear problems such as fluid in the middle ear. Such condition is known as a mixed hearing loss.

You can get rid of these ear problems by using appropriate hearing aids.