How many causes & types of hearing loss are there?
Some people are born with a hearing defect, but more often hearing loss is caused by the aging process, prolonged exposure to loud noise, a head injury or ear infection. There are two types of hearing loss: conductive and sensorineural (nerve loss). Conductive loss occurs when the eardrum or middle ear does not work properly. A build up of wax in the ear canal, an ear infection or a punctured or scarred eardrum can cause this type of loss. Often, a conductive hearing loss can be surgically corrected. Nerve or sensorineural loss, the type most often associated with aging, occurs when sound vibrations are not processed correctly by the hearing nerve in the inner ear. When this happens, messages cannot be passed to the brain and words often sound muffled. Usually, hearing aids will assist this type of loss by amplifying sounds that otherwise would not be heard. Hearing aids are custom made to fit each persons loss and ear shape.
