10 Common Types of Hearing Loss: Causes and Solutions

Introduction

If you think you are having trouble hearing, it’s important to see your doctor. The doctor will be able to do a test to find out more about your hearing and how well your ears work. There are many different types of hearing loss, but they all have similar symptoms and treatments.

Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive hearing loss is caused by a blockage in the outer or middle ear, which prevents sound waves from being transmitted to the inner ear.

There are many different types of conductive hearing loss and they can be either temporary or permanent, mild to severe and unilateral (one ear) or bilateral (both ears). Examples include:

  • Ear wax – this is common in children and may cause frequent ear infections. It’s important to clean wax out gently with cotton buds if you notice it building up inside your child’s ears as this will prevent infection from occurring.
  • Ear canal blockage – this may occur when water gets trapped in your child’s ear canal after swimming for example, causing friction between their eardrum and plugging up their hearing passageway. If this happens regularly then you should check with your GP about treatment options such as irrigation fluid for at home use that helps flush out water build-up without putting pressure on the eardrum itself.* Ear drum perforation – sometimes a small perforation can occur on top of an otherwise healthy eardrum due to trauma such as excessive head shaking during an accident or playing sport too vigorously; having regular checkups with an audiologist will help detect these types of injuries early so they can be treated quickly before they become more serious issues down the line

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sensorineural hearing loss is a type of hearing loss that affects the inner ear, or cochlea. There are two types of sensorineural hearing loss: conductive and sensorineural. Conductive hearing loss occurs when there’s an obstruction between the outer ear and middle ear. As a result, sound waves aren’t able to make it as far into your ear canal or middle-ear cavity, so they can’t be translated by your brain into sounds that you hear. Sensorineural hearing loss occurs on its own in adults but can also be caused by other conditions like Ménière’s disease and acoustic neuroma—which we’ll go over later on this page—and causes damage to structures within the inner ear responsible for transmitting sounds from outside into electrical signals for your brain to process them as sounds. This type of hearing loss usually doesn’t get better on its own after occurring; it tends to be permanent unless treated with medical intervention such as surgery (in some cases) or use of assistive devices like hearing aids or cochlear implants (in others).

Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD)

Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) is a hearing condition that causes sounds to be distorted and confused. The effects of ANSD are usually mild, but they can be distressing for the person with the condition and interfere with their daily life.

ANSD is a rare condition that affects around 3 people in every 100,000 each year. It’s caused by damage to parts of your inner ear called hair cells – these are responsible for detecting sound vibrations and send messages to your brain so it can interpret them as sounds instead of just vibrations. If these cells are damaged or destroyed, they’re unable to do their job properly, which means you might not hear certain frequencies properly or at all! This type of damage can happen if:

  • You have Ménière’s disease (a balance disorder)
  • You’ve had an ear infection recently; particularly one that affected the middle ear or mastoid bone area (the base where some skull bones meet)

Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD)

Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) is a hearing loss that affects the brain’s ability to interpret sound. This condition is often confused with other types of hearing loss, but it is not actually a type of hearing impairment itself.

This problem occurs when the brain has difficulty interpreting sounds due to environmental or genetic factors. For example, CAPD could be caused by an injury to the ear or brain that impairs its ability to understand sounds in loud environments like busy streets and concerts.

One way you can test your child for CAPD is by asking them questions about what they hear while playing music or watching television shows at different volumes using headphones on their ears; if they cannot accurately answer at all times then this may indicate central auditory processing disorder (CAPD).

Single Sided Deafness (SSD)

If you’re experiencing hearing loss in one ear, it’s likely due to SSD. This type of hearing loss occurs when an inner ear problem damages the cochlea, which is responsible for converting sound waves into electrical signals that travel through the auditory nerve to your brain.

In most cases, SSD is caused by noise damage but can also be caused by other things like medications or middle ear infections. Although this type of hearing loss often improves over time on its own, it can sometimes become permanent if left untreated.

If you think you might have SSD or any other kind of hearing loss, head over to our shop page and talk with us about hearing aids!

Unilateral Hearing Loss

If you have unilateral hearing loss, your hearing is better in one ear than the other. The condition may be caused by damage to the inner ear or the nerve connecting it to your brain.

It’s important to see a doctor if you notice that you’re having trouble hearing sounds coming from one side of your head. You should also see a doctor if:

  • You have sudden or progressive hearing loss in one ear (hearing loss that gets worse over time)
  • You hear noises, ringing or buzzing in one ear only

Mixed Hearing Loss

Mixed hearing loss is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. This type of hearing impairment can be caused by head trauma, meningitis, infections, or other conditions that affect the middle ear or auditory nerve. Mixed hearing loss is often treated with hearing aids and surgery. Medication may also be needed to manage symptoms in some cases.

High Frequency Hearing Loss

High Frequency Hearing Loss is the most common type of hearing loss, and can be caused by aging or various other factors.

High frequency hearing loss is typically caused by an imbalance in your ears’ ability to hear high-pitched sounds (treble). When you have this type of hearing loss, you may have trouble understanding conversations that involve female voices or male voices with low tones. You might also experience difficulty in understanding words like “hello” and “how are you?” since they contain many high-pitched sounds. While some people experience temporary high frequency hearing loss when exposed to loud noises (for example: music concerts), others develop permanent damage from things like aging and noise exposure over time. In either case, a doctor may prescribe medication for temporary relief before deciding whether treatment options are necessary for long-term use such as cochlear implants or hearing aids

Meniere’s Disease

  • Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes episodes of vertigo and fluctuating hearing loss.
  • It affects the inner ear, which is responsible for balance and hearing.

Tinnitus

Tinnitus is the name for ringing or other noises in the ear. It’s not a disease itself, but rather a symptom of another problem. Tinnitus is one of the most common problems people bring to their doctors and audiologists.

The causes of tinnitus are many and can vary between individuals. For example, some people might develop tinnitus as a result of hearing loss or noise exposure; others may have an underlying medical condition that causes tinnitus (e.g., high blood pressure). Some medications can also cause symptoms that sound like tinnitus; if you suspect this may be the case, talk with your doctor about switching medications or stopping them altogether if possible.

Treatment depends on factors such as whether you experience only occasional episodes or have chronic symptoms (meaning they’re persistent). In some cases—such as when your doctor suspects an underlying medical condition—it may be necessary to treat that condition first before treating any associated hearing loss or tinnitus issues.[1]

See your doctor if you think you have a hearing loss.

If you think that you or someone else may be experiencing hearing loss, it is important to see a doctor. There are many types of hearing loss and it is important to get a proper diagnosis as soon as possible. The sooner this is done, the more likely it will be that the person can hear better again.

Conclusion

In summary, there are many different types of hearing loss and each type has its own set of causes and solutions. If you think that you may be experiencing a hearing loss, the best thing to do is visit your doctor who can perform tests to determine what kind of hearing loss it might be and suggest treatment options based on their findings.