General Types of Hearing Loss You Could Be Suffering From
Although you may suspect your hearing has started failing, it would be prudent to have an audiological test conducted. This comprehensive exam helps the doctor determine the cause of your individual hearing loss, which would give them the chance to establish the best course of treatment for your needs. It should be noted that not all forms of hearing loss can be corrected. In some cases, the use of hearing aids may be your only recourse to getting some semblance of hearing back. The following are a couple of general types of hearing loss that you could be suffering from.
Conductive loss
This type of hearing loss is typically caused either due to a disease or health condition that ends up impeding on the transfer of sound through your middle ear to the inner ear. One of the main reasons why people will suffer from conductive hearing loss is if there is a blockage that has formed in their ear canal. As such, the intensity of the sounds you hear is significantly decreased, making it hard for you to comprehend the noises around you. People with conductive hearing loss would require additional energy to transfer these sounds so that they can overcome the mechanical impediment that they are suffering from.
It should be noted that conductive hearing loss is usually treatable after it has been identified. Although some people may not get their complete hearing back depending on how extensive the damage was, you can rest assured that there will be some partial improvement to the problem. Once you have undergone your medical treatment, you will probably have to make use of hearing aids to make up for any further hearing loss that you may be experiencing.
Sensorineural loss
This type of hearing loss stems from dysfunction in both your auditory nerve as well as your inner ear. For example, the sensory dysfunction may be caused by the hair cells in your ear becoming unable to stimulate the nerves responsible for hearing. On the other hand, the sensory dysfunction may stem from metabolic problems such as an imbalance of fluids in your inner ear. When it comes to the auditory parts of this hearing loss, it could be due to your hearing nerves becoming unable to pass on neurochemical information to your auditory pathways, which will lead to hearing loss.
It should be noted that in some cases, the main cause of the sensorineural loss may not be reversible. As such, it is not uncommon to find that this type of hearing loss may not respond positively to medical treatment. Therefore, it is rare to attain your full hearing capabilities back. However, the use of hearing aids can be a great help in amplification of sounds for the patient.
