subject: The Five Types Of Hearing Loss [print this page] Finding that you have to ask people to repeat themselves? Noticing that you are not able to hear well when there is background noise? Is your television turned up louder than it used to be? Maybe you have hearing loss. What kind? Can it be treated with an auditory aid? Will you need surgery? Is the loss temporary? Professionals at a hearing center can help answer your questions.
Conductive hearing loss can often be helped by an aid. Sometimes it can be helped by surgery. It is usually caused by something blocking the ear canal. This might be caused by fluid, damage to the middle ear, or openings to the inner ear. Testing can help determine if this is the type of loss you suffer.
Another type of deafness is sensorineural. The prognosis for this is not as positive. It is also known as nerve deafness. Some people find treatment helpful. We have so much to discover about this type of deafness. As with sensorineural, other types of ear damage will not respond to a hearing aid.
Central auditory loss is very interesting. Basically, your mind will not compute what you are hearing. Patients with this condition usually think they can't hear, but they can. These patients often can't hear conversation well when another conversation is taking place. They have a hard time sorting out background noise. Hearing center testing can help diagnose this issue. Treatment often involves a level of understanding on the part of the patient. For instance, when you know that background noise is a problem, you might turn off the air conditioner.
Functional auditory loss is another interesting form. Basically, the patient can process sound normally. The problem is emotional, and is not due to physical problems with the ear. This type of hearing loss is difficult to diagnose even with in-center testing options. You will need a professional to determine the difference.
Mixed hearing loss occurs when a patient has more than one type of deafness. The two most common to have together are conductive and sensorineural. Treatment is still focused on conductive, as it responds the best.
Understanding the different forms of auditory loss can be the first step in treatment. A problem you have been living with for so long might be simple to solve. Start getting better grades, or hearing conversations more clearly. Hear the world in a new and improved way.
