Types and Causes of Hearing Loss

Conductive Hearing Loss…

• Outer ear - Typical problems include excessive accumulation of earwax and infection in the ear canal such as "swimmer's ear".
• Middle ear - Perforation of the eardrum, infection or fluid in the middle ear, calcification of the middle ear bones (otosclerosis) are the most common problems.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss…

• Inner ear - The majority of hearing problems results form damaged inner ear structures. Typical causes are the natural aging process, excessive exposure to noise, medication that is toxic to the ear and head injuries. In such cases, the tiny hair cells in the cochlea are damaged, obstructing the transfer of sound signal to the brain.
• Nerve - Nerve hearing loss is much less frequent and is generally associated with inner ear hearing loss first that results in decreased stimulation of the nerve fibers and deterioration as a result.

Mixed Hearing Loss…

• Occurs when both conductive hearing loss AND sensorineural hearing loss are present.

Facts About Hearing Loss in Adults

1. Hearing loss is more common than you think.

• In North America, 10% of the population has hearing loss - that is over 30 million people!!!

2. The degree of hearing loss varies from person to person.

• Between the two extremes of hearing well and hearing nothing, there are many degrees of impairment. The terms used to describe degree of hearing loss are mild, moderate, severe, and profound.
• Mild hearing loss Unable to hear soft sounds, difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments.
  Moderate hearing loss Unable to hear soft and average sounds, considerable difficulty in understanding speech, especially in background noise.
• Severe hearing loss Speakers must raise their voice. Group conversation is possible only with considerable effort.
• Profound hearing loss Some very loud sounds are audible but communication without a hearing instrument is nearly impossible.

3. Hearing loss drastically reduces the ability to understand speech.

• Hearing loss is the inner ear most frequently affects high frequency sounds.
• These high-pitched sounds such as "s", "f", "sh", and "t", play a key role in ability to understand speech clearly.
• This is why a person with this type of hearing loss will often say, "I can hear but I don't understand what is being said".

4. Adults whose hearing loss is not treated report:

• Sadness and depression
• Worry and anxiety
• Paranoia
• Less social activity
• Emotional turmoil and insecurity

5. Adults who have treated their hearing loss reports benefits that include:

• Better relationships with their families
• Better feeling about themselves
• Improved mental health
• Greater independence and security