There are FOUR types of
Hearing Loss: Sensorineural, Conductive, Mixed and Central.
SENSORINEURAL – or “nerve
deafness” - is caused by damage to the delicate nerves of the inner ear and
reduces the LOUDNESS and/or CLARITY of speech.
It is the most common type of loss due to aging.
CONDUCTIVE is caused by damage or blockage in
the outer and/or middle ears, such as an infection or earwax, and reduces the
LOUDNESS of speech.
MIXED is a
combination of SENSORINEURAL and CONDUCTIVE.
CENTRAL occurs when there is
damage to the brain, such as from a stroke, head injury, or disease, and can
reduce LOUDNESS, CLARITY, and PERCEPTION of speech.
It is important to know
which type of hearing loss is present as treatment for each is different. Only
a complete audiological evaluation by a licensed audiologist will reveal the
type of loss as well as how much hearing is lost.
