Have you ever seen a t-shirt advertised as “one size fits all” but when you went to try it on, you were discouraged to find that it didn’t fit at all? It’s kind of a bummer, isn’t it? There aren’t really very many “one size fits all” with anything in the real world. That’s not only true with clothing, it’s also true with medical conditions such as hearing loss. This can be true for numerous reasons.

So what are the most prevalent kinds of hearing loss and what causes them? Well, that’s exactly what we intend to explore.

Hearing loss comes in different types

Because hearing is such an intricate cognitive and physical operation, no two people’s hearing loss will be precisely the same. Maybe you hear perfectly well at the office, but not in a crowded restaurant. Or maybe you only have problems with high or low-pitched sounds. There are a wide variety of forms that your hearing loss can take.

How your hearing loss presents, in part, could be determined by what causes your symptoms to begin with. Lots of things can go wrong with an organ as complex as the ear.

How does hearing work?

It’s helpful to get an idea of how hearing is supposed to work before we can understand what degree of hearing loss calls for a hearing aid. Check out this breakdown:

• Outer ear: This is the part of the ear that you can see. It’s where you’re first exposed to a “sound”. The shape of your ear helps direct those sounds into your middle ear (where they are processed further).
• Middle ear: The middle ear is composed of your eardrum and a few tiny ear bones (Yes, there are some tiny little bones in there).
• Inner ear: This is where your stereocilia are found. These delicate hairs detect vibrations and start converting those vibrations into electrical energy. Your cochlea helps here, also. This electrical energy is then sent to your brain.
• Auditory nerve: This nerve is inside of your ear, and it’s responsible for channeling and sending this electrical energy to your brain.
• Auditory system: All of the components listed above, from your brain to your outer ear, are components of your “auditory system”. The complete hearing process depends on all of these parts working in concert with one another. Typically, in other words, the entire system will be affected if any one part has issues.

Hearing loss varieties

Because there are multiple parts of your auditory system, there are (as a result) numerous types of hearing loss. Which form you experience will depend on the root cause.

Here are some of the most common causes:

• Conductive hearing loss: This type of hearing loss occurs because there’s a blockage somewhere in the auditory system, often in the middle or outer ear. Normally, this blockage is a consequence of fluid or inflammation (this typically happens, for example, when you have an ear infection). In some cases, conductive hearing loss can be caused by a growth in the ear canal. Once the blockage is removed, hearing will normally return to normal.
• Sensorineural hearing loss: When your ears are damaged by loud sound, the delicate hair cells which pick up sound, called stereocilia, are destroyed. Usually, this is a chronic, progressive and irreversible form of hearing loss. Because of this, people are usually encouraged to prevent this kind of hearing loss by using hearing protection. Even though sensorineural hearing loss is irreversible, it can be successfully treated with hearing aids.
• Mixed hearing loss: It’s also possible to have a combination of sensorineural hearing loss and conductive hearing loss. Because the hearing loss is coming from numerous different places, this can sometimes be challenging to manage.
• Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder: It’s fairly rare for someone to develop ANSD. When sound isn’t properly transmitted from your ear to your brain, this type of hearing loss happens. A device called a cochlear implant is normally used to treat this type of hearing loss.

The desired results are the same even though the treatment option will vary for each form of hearing loss: improving your hearing ability.

Hearing loss kinds have variations

And there’s more. We can analyze and categorize these common types of hearing loss even more specifically. For example, hearing loss can also be classified as:

• Fluctuating or stable: If your hearing loss has a tendency to come and go, it might be referred to as fluctuating. If your hearing loss remains at approximately the same levels, it’s called stable.
• Pre-lingual or post-lingual: If your hearing loss developed before you learned to talk, it’s known as pre-lingual. If your hearing loss developed after you learned to speak, it’s called post-lingual. This can have implications for treatment and adaptation.
• High frequency vs. low frequency: You might have more trouble hearing high or low-frequency sounds. Your hearing loss can then be categorized as one or the other.
• Progressive or sudden: Hearing loss that gradually worsens over time is called “progressive”. Hearing loss that appears or shows up immediately is called “sudden”.
• Symmetrical or asymmetrical: If your hearing loss is the same in both ears it’s symmetrical and if it’s not the same in both ears it’s asymmetrical.
• Unilateral or bilateral hearing loss: This means you’re either going through hearing loss in just one ear (unilateral) or both ears (bilateral).
• Congenital hearing loss: If you’re born with hearing loss it’s known as “congenital”.
• Acquired hearing loss: If you experience hearing loss due to outside forces, such as damage, it’s known as “acquired”.

That may seem like a lot, and it is. But your hearing loss will be more successfully treated when we’re able to use these categories.

A hearing test is in order

So how can you tell which of these classifications applies to your hearing loss scenario? Unfortunately, hearing loss isn’t really something you can self-diagnose with much accuracy. It will be difficult for you to know, for instance, whether your cochlea is working properly.

But that’s what hearing exams are for! Your loss of hearing is kind of like a “check engine” light. We can help you determine what type of hearing loss you’re dealing with by connecting you to a wide variety of modern technology.

So the best way to understand what’s happening is to make an appointment with us today!

Call Today to Set Up an Appointment

References

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/types.html
https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/types-of-hearing-loss/