Conductive

A conductive hearing loss is caused by problems within the outer and/or middle ear. Conductive hearing losses are usually temporary and medically treatable. Common causes of conductive hearing loss are chronic middle ear infections and impacted earwax. Less common causes of conductive hearing loss include disconnection of the three tiny bones in the middle ear, which is behind the eardrum, often due to head trauma; otosclerosis, a disease involving bony growth within the middle ear; cholesteatoma, a skin growth that occurs in the middle ear; as well as other causes. Some of these conditions can be medically treated and/or respond well to bone-conduction or bone-anchored hearing aids.

Sensorineural

A sensorineural hearing loss is caused by problems within the inner ear. The inner ear is the sense organ for hearing. Damage to the inner ear can result in a permanent hearing loss. To date, it cannot be cured medically. Hearing aids and/or cochlear implants are the current treatment for those with sensorineural hearing loss. Damage to the inner ear can be caused by extreme noise exposure, age, head trauma, stroke, certain medications and infections, as well as others.

Mixed

A mixed hearing loss involves both conductive and sensorineural components to the hearing loss.

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