We’ve written before about conductive hearing loss, which is treatable, and sensorineural hearing loss, which is not.
What happens when you have both?
The result is a condition known as “mixed hearing loss.”
Conductive hearing loss occurs when sounds are not properly conducted from the outer ear drum to the ear canal and ossicles (tiny bones of the middle ear). This can be caused by foreign object, an excess of wax, infection or malformation. Generally, some faint hearing is retained.
Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the inner ear or the nerve pathways from there to the brain. It is irreversible. Causes include trauma, viruses, prolonged noise exposure, and, of course, aging.
Sometimes both types of hearing loss occur in conjunction. This condition is known as “mixed hearing loss.” In mixed hearing loss, there is damage to the outer ear or canal and the inner ear or nerve pathways. The conductive hearing loss may still respond to treatment.
Tags: deafness, diagnosis, hearing loss, Hearing Problems
