 | Ed Clausen M.A
M.A. Audiologist, CCC-A is a licensed Audiologist under the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. He received his CCC-A in 1994 and serves as Company Audiologist for the 18 company offices of Midwest Hearing Aids, Inc. in Kansas. He holds memberships in the American Speech/Language and Hearing Association, the Kansas Speech/Language and Hearing Association, and the Kansas Hearing Aid Association. You may contact Ed at Midwest Hearing Aids corporate office in Wichita at 1 (800) 668-4055 or locally at (316) 264-2411. |
Audiology
2002-05-01 08:53:00
Different types of hearing loss
QUESTION: How does one know what type of hearing loss they have?
ANSWER: Although the symptoms of hearing loss are fairly consistent, there may be different causes. Some of these causes may be curable, and some may not be. Different types of hearing loss fall into two categories: conductive hearing loss or sensorineural hearing loss.To understand these different types of losses, a basic knowledge of the anatomy of the ear is necessary. The ear is divided into three sections: the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. The outer ear consists of the external cartilage, called the pinna, and the ear canal, where wax is produced. The middle ear consists of the ear drum, the cavity of air behind it, and the three tiny bones that bridge the ear drum to the inner ear. The middle ear is what "pops" when you are in an airplane, and what can fill with fluid and become infected in many children and some adults. The inner ear consists of the cochlea, the organ of hearing; and the labyrinth, the organ of balance. In the cochlea, sound stimulates tiny hair cells to respond, sending messages to the auditory nerve which takes the signal to the brain. The brain is where the signals are processed into understandable speech.A conductive hearing loss is one that is caused by a problem in the outer ear or middle ear. The most common cause of a conductive loss is a buildup of wax in the ear canal, blocking the sound from getting into the middle ear. This is resolved by a professional removing the wax, thus allowing the sound through to the middle ear. Another common cause is a pressure buildup in the middle ear, which can cause accumulation of fluid, which can then become infected. This buildup of fluid can interfere with the proper functioning of the middle ear, so sound is not transmitted properly into the inner ear. Fluid in the middle ear can be treated in a variety of ways, from medication to surgery where the fluid is drained from the ear and a tube placed in the ear drum. There are also some other, less common diseases of the middle ear that affect hearing; usually these are treated medically as well. In many of these cases, hearing can either be improved or returned to normal.A sensorineural loss is one that is caused by a problem in the inner ear or auditory nerve. These types of losses may or may not be treated medically. The majority of sensorineural losses are caused by the hair cells of the cochlea being either damaged or destroyed. When the cells are not able to send signals to the auditory nerve, the brain does not receive the signals and therefore the sound is not heard. This type of hearing impairment was called "nerve deafness" for many years; however, since the source of the problem is the hair cells and not the nerve itself, this name is not accurate. Sensorineural hearing losses can result from other diseases, such as mumps or syphillis. Finally, there are some diseases specific to the ear that cause sensorineural loss. These include Meniere's disease and acoustic neuroma. If you think you may have a hearing loss, see a hearing healthcare professional. The tests that they perform will determine the presence and degree of hearing loss, and if it is conductive or sensorineural. They will be able to refer you to a physician if the hearing loss may be treatable.
