Menu

Types and Causes

Sensorineural hearing loss

Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve, resulting in difficulty processing sound signals. Common causes include aging, noise exposure, and certain medical conditions.

Conductive hearing loss

Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound waves cannot pass through the outer or middle ear, often due to blockages or abnormalities. Causes may include ear infections, earwax buildup, or structural issues.

Mixed hearing loss

Mixed hearing loss involves a combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss, affecting both the inner ear and the transmission of sound to the inner ear. It can result from a variety of factors, including genetics, aging, and environmental exposures.

Degrees of hearing loss

There are four clinically labeled degrees of hearing loss:

Mild

If you have mild hearing loss, you may hear some speech sounds, but will have difficulty with soft sounds.

Moderate

If you have moderate hearing loss, you’ll struggle to hear/understand speech when someone is talking at a normal level.

Severe

If you have severe hearing loss, you will hear little-to-no speech when spoken at normal levels, and hear only some loud sounds.

Profound

If you have profound hearing loss, you may only hear very loud sounds and no speech at all.

Causes of hearing loss

Hearing loss is caused by many factors, most frequently from natural aging or exposure to loud noise. The most common causes of hearing loss are:

  • Aging
  • Noise exposure
  • Head trauma
  • Virus or disease
  • Genetics
  • Ototoxicity

Major Causes of Hearing Loss

Things that can cause sensorineural hearing loss are:

  • Aging
  • Injury
  • Excessive noise exposure
  • Viral infections (such as measles or mumps)
  • Shingles
  • Ototoxic drugs (medications that damage hearing)
  • Meningitis
  • Diabetes
  • Stroke
  • High fever or elevated body temperature
  • Ménière’s disease (a disorder of the inner ear that can affect hearing and balance)
  • Acoustic tumors
  • Heredity
  • Obesity
  • Smoking
  • Hypertension

Things that can cause conductive hearing loss are:

  • Infections of the ear canal or middle ear resulting in fluid or pus buildup
  • Perforation or scarring of the eardrum
  • Wax buildup
  • Dislocation of the middle ear bones (ossicles)
  • Foreign object in the ear canal
  • Otosclerosis (an abnormal bone growth in the middle ear)
  • Abnormal growths or tumors

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Facebook-f Yelp

Quick Links

Our Services

Contact Info