Have you ever bought one of those “one size fits all” t-shirts only to be disappointed (and shocked) when the shirt does not, in fact, fit as advertised? It’s kind of a bummer, right? There aren’t actually 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. There can be many reasons why it happens.
So what are the most common types of hearing loss and what are their causes? Let’s find out!
There are different forms of hearing loss
Everyone’s hearing loss situation will be as unique as they are. Perhaps you hear just fine at the office, but not in a noisy restaurant. Or perhaps you only have trouble with high or low-pitched sounds. There are numerous forms that your hearing loss can take.
How your hearing loss shows up, in part, might be dictated by what’s causing your symptoms in the first place. Because your ear is a very complex little organ, there are any number of things that can go wrong.
How does hearing work?
Before you can totally understand how hearing loss works, or what level of hearing loss calls for a hearing aid, it’s helpful to think a bit about how things are supposed to function, how your ear is typically supposed to work. Check out this breakdown:
- Outer ear: This is the portion of the ear that you can see. It’s the initial sound receiver. The shape of your ear helps funnel those sounds into your middle ear (where they are further processed).
- Middle ear: The middle ear comprises your eardrum and a few tiny ear bones (yes, you have bones in your ear, but they are admittedly very, very tiny).
- Inner ear: Your stereocilia are found hear. Vibration is detected by these fragile hairs which are then transformed into electrical energy. Your cochlea helps here, too. Our brain then receives this electrical energy.
- Auditory nerve: This nerve is located in your ear, and it’s responsible for transmitting and sending this electrical energy to your brain.
- Auditory system: From your brain to your outer ear, the “auditory system” includes all of the parts discussed above. The complete hearing process depends on all of these components working in unison with one another. Put simply, the system is interconnected, so any problem in one area will usually impact the performance of the entire system.
Hearing loss types
There are multiple types of hearing loss because there are numerous parts of the ear. The root cause of your hearing loss will determine which type of hearing loss you develop.
The common types of hearing loss include:
- Conductive hearing loss: When there’s a blockage somewhere in the auditory system, usually the middle or outer ear, this form of hearing loss happens. Usually, fluid or inflammation is the reason for this blockage (when you have an ear infection, for instance, this typically occurs). In some cases, conductive hearing loss can be caused by a growth in the ear canal. Once the obstruction is eliminated, hearing will normally go back to normal.
- Sensorineural hearing loss: When your ears are damaged by loud sound, the fragile hair cells which detect sound, called stereocilia, are destroyed. This form of hearing loss is generally chronic, progressive, and permanent. As a result, people are usually encouraged to prevent this kind of hearing loss by wearing hearing protection. Even though sensorineural hearing loss is permanent, it can be successfully treated with hearing aids.
- Mixed hearing loss: It occasionally happens that someone will experience both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss simultaneously. Because the hearing loss is coming from numerous different places, this can sometimes be challenging to treat.
- Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder: It’s relatively rare for someone to develop ANSD. When sound isn’t effectively transmitted from your ear to your brain, this kind of hearing loss happens. ANSD can normally be managed with a device known as a cochlear implant.
The desired results are the same even though the treatment option will vary for each type of hearing loss: to improve or maintain your ability to hear.
Hearing loss kinds have variations
And that isn’t all! We can analyze and categorize these common forms of hearing loss even more specifically. Here are some examples:
- Unilateral or bilateral hearing loss: This means you’re either experiencing hearing loss in only one ear (unilateral) or both ears (bilateral).
- Acquired hearing loss: Hearing loss that happens as a result of outside forces (like damage).
- Progressive or sudden: You have “progressive” hearing loss if it gradually gets worse over time. Hearing loss that erupts or presents immediately is known as “sudden”.
- High frequency vs. low frequency: Your hearing loss can be categorized as one or the other depending on what frequency range is getting lost.
- 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 roughly the same levels, it’s called stable.
- Congenital hearing loss: If you’re born with hearing loss it’s called “congenital”.
- Pre-lingual or post-lingual: Hearing loss is known as pre-lingual when it develops before you learned to speak. Hearing loss is post-lingual when it develops after you learned to talk. This will affect the way hearing loss is treated.
- 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.
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 be sure which of these categories pertains to your hearing loss situation? Self-diagnosis of hearing loss isn’t, regrettably, something that’s at all accurate. As an example, is your cochlea working properly, how would you know?
But you can get a hearing exam to determine precisely what’s going on. It’s like when you have a check engine light on in your car and you bring it to a skilled auto technician. We can hook you up to a wide range of machines, and help establish what type of hearing loss you have.
So the best way to understand what’s happening is to schedule an appointment with us as soon as you can!
References
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/types.html
https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/types-of-hearing-loss/