- Conductive Hearing Loss
This is caused by problems in the outer or middle ear, which prevent the sound from being ‘conducted’ to the inner ear and the auditory nerve. The hearing may fluctuate and may affect one or both ears to varying degrees.
Conductive hearing problems generally affect the quantity (loudness only) of the sound that is heard. It is usually medically or surgically treatable.
A common cause of conductive loss in children is middle ear infection.
- Sensorineural hearing loss
This type of hearing loss is due to a problem in the cochlea (the sensory part of the ear) or the auditory nerve (the neural part). There is usually a loss of clarity as well as loudness, i.e. the quality and the quantity of the sound is affected.
- Mixed hearing loss
Mixed hearing loss is occurs when there is both a conductive and a sensorineural hearing loss.
- Unilateral hearing loss.
Unilateral hearing loss is when only one ear is affected. It may cause great difficulty in hearing and understanding language and in localization of sound.
- Bilateral hearing loss.
Both ears are affected in bilateral hearing loss. Putting sounds together meaningfully can be a difficult task. Bilateral hearing loss may be caused by factors in the outer, middle or inner ear or a combination of these areas. Symmetrical hearing loss is when a person has the same degree and type of hearing loss in both ears. Asymmetrical hearing loss is when a person has a different degree and type of hearing loss in each ear.
