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May 22, 2013
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Hearing Loss (cont.)

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Hearing Loss Causes

There are 2 basic types of hearing loss, which are called conductive and sensorineural.

  • Conductive causes: Conductive hearing losses result from physical problems with the movement of the sound wave through the ear. A simple example is blockage of the ear canal.

    • Obstructed external ear canal - Cerumen (wax) build-up, hematoma (blood collection), or foreign body in the ear canal. This is one of the most common causes of hearing loss and the easiest to fix.

    • Perforated tympanic membrane - Caused by direct trauma such as a finger or cotton swab, middle-ear infections (otitis media), or explosions (blast injury)

    • Dislocated ossicle (malleus, incus, or stapes) - Usually from trauma to the ear

    • Otitis media - Middle ear infection

    • Otitis externa - Infection of the ear canal that causes it to swell

  • Sensorineural causes: Sensorineural causes are from damage to the hair cells or nerves that sense sound waves.

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Hearing Loss - Causes

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Read What Your Physician is Reading on Medscape

Inner Ear, Sudden Hearing Loss »

Definitions of sudden hearing loss have been based on severity, time course, audiometric criteria, and frequency spectrum of the loss.

Read More on Medscape Reference »


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