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It is estimated that more than 30 million Americans have some type
of hearing loss. As the baby boomer population ages, this number
will increase. Unfortunately, hearing loss often progresses so
gradually that the individual, adult or child, is completely unaware
of any problem. It is not surprising, then, that many hearing concerns
are first raised by spouses, other family members, friends, or
co-workers.
Hearing loss may be present in one ear or both ears. It may have
different degrees, and it may progress over time. The only way
to accurately know what type and degree of hearing loss is present
is to have a comprehensive audiological evaluation, commonly known
as a hearing test. Your audiologist
will review the results of this evaluation and will make recommendations,
which may include a referral to a physician for medical treatment/evaluation.
Hearing loss occurs any time there is a disruption of the transmission
of sound along the auditory pathway, which includes the outer,
middle and inner ear, and the nerves leading to the hearing centers
of the brain. There are many conditions or diseases which can cause
this sound disruption. Described below are three general types
of hearing loss categories, Conductive, Sensori-Neural and Mixed,
and their commonly related conditions.
Conductive hearing loss refers to hearing loss caused by conditions
of the outer and middle ear. For example, the outer ear canal
may be blocked with earwax, allowing only very loud sounds to
pass through. The middle ear, which covers the region from the
eardrum to the inner ear, includes 3 small bones which move in
synchrony and are vital to hearing. When there is a disruption
in the movement of these bones (caused by infection or disease),
hearing is diminished. Most conductive losses are treatable by
medication or surgery, made possible by the mechanical nature
of these structures. The table below lists the most common causes
of conductive hearing loss.
| Conductive Hearing Loss - Common Causes |
| Ear infections (middle ear: otitis media;
outer ear: otitis externa) |
| Perforated eardrum |
| Ear Wax |
| Foreign body in the ear |
| Swimmer's Ear |
| Otosclerosis |
| Ossicular chain discontinuity (referring
to a disruption in the movement of the 3 small bones of the
middle ear) |
| Congenital birth defect |
Sensori-neural hearing loss is a broad term which includes both sesnory hearing
loss (hearing loss related to the cochlea, also known as the inner
ear) and neural hearing loss (hearing loss related to the
auditory nerve.) The majority of sensori-neural hearing losses
fall under the sensory category. In general, sensory hearing losses
cannot be corrected through surgery or medical intervention, although
there are some exceptions. Hearing aids and assistive listening
devices are the most common form of treatment for sensory hearing
losses.
| Sensory Hearing Loss - Common Causes |
| Noise exposure |
| The aging process (presbycusis) |
| Illness or disease (example: meningitis,
Meniere's disease) |
| Head trauma |
| Heredity hearing loss |
| Congenital hearing loss (from birth trauma) |
| Ototoxic medications |
| Viruses (example: mumps) |
| Sudden hearing loss of unknown cause (requires
immediate medical attention by a physician) |
| Neural Hearing Loss- Common Causes |
| Acoustic Neuroma (growth on the VIIIth
nerve) |
| Degenerative neural diseases (example:
multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy) |
Mixed Hearing Loss is present when there is some degree of both
Sensori-Neural and Conductive hearing loss. For example, an individual
who has had noise exposure and a resulting permanent hearing
loss (a sensory hearing loss) may also have otitis media, a middle
ear infection. The audiogram would show both a conductive and
a sensory hearing loss, which would be described as a "mixed" loss.
Above, we discussed the different types of common hearing losses.
But hearing losses are clearly not all the same. Two people may
have the same type of hearing loss, sensori-neural for example,
but different degrees of impairment. The only way to accurately
determine the degree of hearing loss is to have a complete audiological
evaluation. One part of this evaluation involves asking the
individual to respond to the softest levels at which various
tones can be heard. The results are analyzed and are classified
into one or more of the following categories: Mild, Moderate,
Severe and Profound.
A person with a Mild hearing loss may have difficulty hearing
very soft sounds, or sounds which are far away. Certain speech
sounds may be easily confused with other sounds, such as f and s or sh and th.
Although the impairment may be mild, it may interfere with understanding
important information and may cause an individual to respond incorrectly,
often resulting in embarrassment. A person with a Moderate or Severe hearing
loss may have difficulty hearing in many situations, especially
if background noise is present. Basic communication is compromised
and avoidance of social activities is not uncommon. A person with
a Profound hearing loss will hear little or no sound or
speech around them. He/she is unable to communicate by hearing
alone, without the assistance of hearing aids, assitive listening
devices, visual aids or sign language.
The good news about hearing loss is that today's hearing
aid technology offers help for all degrees of hearing loss,
from mild to profound. And this technology is now available in
numerous styles and circuitry
options to accommodate your hearing needs, your personal
preferences and your budget.
Disclaimer: The information provided
on this website is for informational use only and is not intended
to be used as a substitute for evaluation, consultation or diagnosis
by a licensed physician or licensed audiologist. Further, it
is not intended to be all-inclusive. Always consult with your
audiologist and primary care physician regarding matters related
to your hearing.
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