What causes hearing loss?

How the ear works

The ears are highly sensitive organs that allow you to hear sound. They are made up of three sections:

• the outer ear
• the middle ear
• the inner ear

Sounds enter the outer ear and pass down the ear canal into the eardrum. The sound vibrates in the eardrum then travels into the middle ear.

The middle ear is an air-filled cavity that is linked to the inner ear. The inner ear contains the cochlea (a fluid-filled chamber that is responsible for hearing) and the vestibular system (which helps to control balance).

Sensorineural (inner ear) hearing loss is usually due to wear and tear which irreversibly damages to the inner hair cells, excessive noise exposure and some inherited predispositions and viral infection are just a few factors which can also lead to a sensorineural loss.

Conductive hearing loss occurs if there is a dysfunction in the outer or middle ear such as infections, blockage to the ear canal, perforation of the ear drum, congenital deformities in some cases it is a temporary dysfunction and can be treated with medication or surgery.

Mixed Hearing loss is a combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss usually can be helped with hearing instruments and medical intervention for the conductive element if appropriate.