Types of Hearing Loss
How do we hear?
Our ears are delicate, detailed sensory organs. They are also mechanical systems based entirely on physical movement.
Types of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can result from a number of things including: illness, an accident, exposure to certain drugs or chemicals or being born with varying degrees of hearing loss. Still, the most common sources of hearing loss are as a result of the normal aging process or exposure to loud noise.
There are three types of hearing loss: Conductive, Sensorineural, and Mixed (a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss).
Conductive Hearing Loss
- Caused by problems with the outer and middle ear, which prevent sound from reaching the inner ear
- Some of the more common causes of conductive hearing loss are wax build-up, a perforated eardrum, fluid in the middle ear, or damage to the bones in the middle ear
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Sensorineural Hearing Loss
- Most often associated with the aging process, sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to the sensory cells or nerve fibres of the inner ear, hindering the transmission of sound
- Speech is difficult to understand, particularly in noisy places or at a distance
- Exposure to noise is a contributing factor
Unilateral Hearing Loss
- Unilateral hearing loss, sometimes also referred to as single-sided deafness, is a hearing impairment that affects only one ear, while the other ear has normal or near-normal hearing. It can occur in people of all ages, from children to adults, and may be congenital (present at birth) or acquired later in life.
Know where you stand
A hearing test by a registered hearing health professional will give you an accurate evaluation of any possible hearing loss, along with sound advice on the hearing solutions that best suit your lifestyle.
If you have any other questions about hearing loss you can contact any one of our Hearing Solutions clinics. If you would like to schedule a painless, complimentary, no-obligation hearing test CLICK HERE.
