Conductive Hearing Loss

Occurs when sound cannot travel effectively through the outer or middle ear, making soft sounds difficult to hear and loud sounds muffled.

Common Causes:

• Fluid in the middle ear from colds or allergies
• Ear infections (Otitis Media)
• Poor Eustachian tube function
• Perforated eardrum
• Excess earwax buildup
• Congenital malformations

In many cases, medical treatment or minor surgery can correct this condition.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Occurs when there is damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or to the nerve pathways that transmit sound signals to the brain. This is the most common type of permanent hearing loss.

People with SNHL may find that soft sounds are hard to hear, and even louder sounds may seem distorted or unclear.

While medicine or surgery typically cannot reverse SNHL, hearing aids or advanced hearing technology can greatly improve sound clarity and communication.

Mixed Hearing Loss

A combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. This means that both the outer or middle ear and the inner ear or auditory nerve are affected.

Common Causes:

Any condition that causes conductive or sensorineural hearing loss — or both — can lead to mixed hearing loss.

For example, a person exposed to prolonged loud noise who also has fluid buildup in the middle ear may experience a combined effect.