Kinds of Hearing Loss

There are four main types of hearing loss:

• Conductive: Hearing loss is caused by a problem in the outer ear or middle ear. Conductive losses usually affect all frequencies to the same degree. These losses are not usually severe.

• Sensorineural: Hearing loss is caused by a problem in the inner ear or auditory nerve. A sensorineural loss often affects a person's ability to hear some frequencies more than others. This means that sounds may be appear distorted, even with the use of a hearing aid. Sensorineural losses can range from mild to profound.

• Mixed: A combination of conductive and sensorineural losses.

• Central: Hearing loss caused by a problem along the pathway from the inner ear to the auditory region of the brain or in the brain itself, not by problems in the ear.

  From the Centers for Disease Control web site. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dd/ddhi.htm