Types of Hearing Loss

“Your ear consists of three parts—the outer, the middle, and the inner ear. Conductive hearing loss happens when sounds cannot move through the outer and middle ear to get to the inner ear.

What Is Conductive Hearing Loss?

Your ear consists of three parts—the outer, the middle, and the inner ear.

Conductive hearing loss happens when sounds cannot move through the outer and middle ear to get to the inner ear. In many cases, medication or surgery can correct this type of hearing loss.

What Causes Conductive Hearing Loss?

Conductive hearing loss can be caused by:

• fluid in your middle ear from colds or allergies
• ear infections (otitis media)
• a hole in your eardrum
• masses that block the outer or middle ear
• earwax blocking your ear canal
• infection in the ear canal, called otitis externa or “swimmer’s ear”
• an object stuck in your outer ear
• a problem with how the outer or middle ear is formed, including the bones in the middle ear

Hearing aids or other assistive listening technology may be recommended to help with SNHL.

What Is Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL)?

Hearing aids or other assistive listening technology may be recommended to help with SNHL.

Sensorineural hearing loss happens when the inner ear or nerve pathways connecting the inner ear to the brain are damaged. This is the most common type of permanent hearing loss. Unlike conductive hearing loss, SNHL usually cannot be corrected with medicine or surgery. Hearing aids or other assistive listening technology may be recommended to help with SNHL.

What Causes Sensorineural Hearing Loss?

SNHL can be caused by:

• illnesses
• drugs that are toxic to hearing
• hearing loss that runs in the family
• aging
• head injury
• a problem in the way the inner ear is formed
• exposure to loud sounds

What Is Mixed Hearing Loss?

Mixed hearing loss is a combination of both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. This means there are problems in the outer or middle ear and the inner ear or auditory nerve.

For example, someone who works in a noisy environment and also has fluid buildup in the middle ear may have a mixed hearing loss—and experience more severe hearing difficulties than if they had only one type of hearing loss.

What Is Unilateral Hearing Loss (UHL)?

Unilateral hearing loss is hearing loss in only one ear (with normal hearing in the other ear). The hearing loss can range from mild to severe. Someone with UHL can have problems determining where a sound is coming from (localization).

Children with UHL are at higher risk for academic, speech, and social difficulties than their normal-hearing peers. This may be because UHL in children often goes unidentified, and they don’t receive the treatment or support that could help them.

UHL can be caused by:

• hearing loss that runs in the family
• a problem with the outer, middle, or inner ear
• some syndromes
• illnesses or infections
• exposure to loud sounds
• traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Find Help With Hearing Loss

Not all hearing loss is the same. Options for managing your hearing loss will depend on the type of hearing loss that you have. If you or someone you know is experiencing hearing difficulties, an audiologist can help.

To find an audiologist near you, visit ProFind.