Types of hearing loss: Hearing loss is categorized by what part of the auditory system is damaged. These fall into three categories: Conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, or mixed hearing loss.
Conductive hearing loss: This type of hearing loss occurs when sound cannot travel through the outer ear to the eardrum and tiny bones of the middle ear. This type of hearing loss can often be treated medically or surgically. Conductive hearing loss can be caused by:
Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or to the nerve pathways from the inner ear (retrocochlear) to the brain. Sensorineural hearing loss cannot be medically or surgically corrected. It is a permanent loss. Sensorineural hearing loss not only involves a reduction in sound level, or ability to hear faint sounds, but also affects speech understanding, or ability to hear clearly. This type of hearing loss is best treated with the use of hearing aids. Sensorineural hearing loss can be caused by:
Mixed hearing loss is a combination of a conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss. In other words, there may be damage in the outer or middle ear and in the inner ear (cochlea) or auditory nerve. When this occurs, the hearing loss is referred to as a mixed hearing loss.
