What is Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss is a partial or total reduction in the ability to hear sounds in one or both ears. This occurs when there is a disturbance in how sound travels from the ear to the brain. It is important to know that hearing loss can affect anyone at any age. Sound is measured in both loudness (Decibels) and pitch (Hertz). This means that hearing loss is measured by finding the softest sounds a person can hear at different pitches. There are around four different types of hearing loss.

Signs of Hearing Loss:

Hearing loss can be noticed in a number of ways, such as:

Frequently asking people to repeat themselves
Difficulty following conversations, especially in noisy places like restaurants
Feeling that people mumble or speak unclearly
Turning the TV, radio, or phone volume up louder than others prefer
Trouble hearing high-pitched sounds or distinguishing certain consonants, such as s, f, th, or sh
Difficulty hearing when someone speaks from another room or behind you
Misunderstanding words and giving inappropriate responses
Feeling unusually tired after social situations because listening takes more effort
Ringing, buzzing, or humming in the ears (tinnitus), which can occur alongside hearing loss
Friends or family noticing that you don’t respond when called

If you have noticed any of these and feel your hearing health may be in decline, it might be worth booking an appointment with an audiologist

Different Types of Hearing Loss

Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Conductive Hearing Loss
Mixed Hearing Loss
Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD)

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

This is the most common type of permanent hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the tiny hair cells inside the inner ear (the cochlea) or the nerve that sends sound to the brain.

Possible Causes Include:

Ageing - Natural wear over time.
Loud noise - Exposure to loud music, machinery, or explosions over many years or all at once.
Genetics - Passing down traits or conditions from parents that affect the inner ear.
Illnesses - Viral infections like shingles or measles, and other conditions.
Toxic medication - Certain strong drugs, like some cancer treatments or high-dose antibiotics, can damage the ear.
Head injury - A hard hit to the head that fractures or damages the inner ear.

Possible Treatments Include:

Hearing aids - Small electronic devices worn in or behind the ear. They amplify sounds so it is easier for the ear to pick up. This is the most common treatment for permanent hearing loss.
Cochlear implants - An option if traditional hearing aids do not help enough. A cochlear implant is a tiny electronic device that a surgeon places under the skin behind the ear. It bypasses the damaged parts of the inner ear and stimulates the hearing nerve directly.
Steroid medication - If sensorineural hearing loss happens very suddenly (like from infections or loud explosions), high-dose steroid pills, injections through the eardrum, or injections can sometimes reverse the damage if given immediately.

Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive hearing loss happens when sound cannot travel efficiently through the outer ear or middle ear to reach the inner ear.

Possible Causes Include:

Earwax buildup-blocking the ear canal
Ear infections-causing swelling or fluid
Fluid in the middle ear (often called glue ear)
A perforated or damaged eardrum
Foreign objects stuck in the ear causing blockage
Swelling or narrowing of the ear canal
Problems with the tiny bones in the middle ear, such as otosclerosis
Injury or trauma to the ear
Tumours or abnormal growths (though these are less common)
Being born with structural differences affecting the ear

Possible Treatments Include:

Earwax removal – if wax is blocking the ear canal.
Antibiotics or other medicines – if an ear infection is causing the problem.
Treating fluid in the middle ear (glue ear) – sometimes it clears on its own; persistent cases may be treated with small ventilation tubes called grommets.
Surgery to repair the eardrum – if there is a hole or significant damage.
Surgery to repair or replace the tiny middle-ear bones – if they are damaged or not moving properly.
Surgery for otosclerosis – a condition where abnormal bone growth affects sound transmission.
Removal of a foreign object or growth – if something is blocking the ear canal.
Hearing aids or other hearing devices – if the hearing loss cannot be fully corrected or while awaiting treatment.

Mixed Hearing Loss

Mixed hearing loss is a combination of conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss in the same ear.

Possible Causes Include:

Age-related hearing loss combined with earwax buildup
Noise-related inner-ear damage plus an ear infection
Fluid in the middle ear (glue ear) together with existing inner-ear hearing loss
A perforated eardrum plus damage to the cochlea or auditory nerve
Otosclerosis, which can sometimes affect both the middle and inner ear
Head injury or trauma affecting more than one part of the hearing system
Certain diseases, infections, or genetic conditions that affect different parts of the ear
Previous ear surgery or chronic ear disease causing damage to both the middle and inner ear

Possible Treatments Include:

Removing earwax if it is blocking the ear canal
Treating ear infections with appropriate medication
Treating fluid in the middle ear, sometimes with grommets
Repairing the eardrum or middle-ear bones with surgery when appropriate
Hearing aids to amplify sound
Bone-conduction hearing devices in some cases
Cochlear implants for some people with severe sensorineural hearing loss who meet the criteria
Treating the underlying condition, such as otosclerosis or chronic ear disease

Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD)

Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD) is a type of hearing disorder where sound enters the inner ear, but the signals are not transmitted or processed properly by the auditory nerve on their way to the brain. It is the least common type of hearing loss.