Updated: 31-03-2025
Do you think your ability to hear has decreased lately? If yes, then you must try to find out why it is happening.
It may be that you are suffering from hearing loss.
But there is no need to worry; loss of hearing can be caused due to various factors, and most of them can be cured successfully using surgery or medicine.
Let us know more about hearing loss: types, causes, and treatment.
Hearing Loss: Types, Causes, and Treatment
Types of Hearing Loss
1. Conductive Hearing Loss
When the loss of hearing is caused by the eardrum, ear canal, or middle ear and related little bones, it is a conductive hearing loss.
Causes:
- Fluid due to cold in the middle ear
- Malformation of the ear canal, outer ear, or middle ear structures
- Ear infection
- Allergies
- Benign tumors
- Poor functioning of the Eustachian tube
- Perforated eardrum
- Infection in the ear canal
- Impacted earwax
- Otosclerosis
- Foreign body in the ear
2. Sensorineural Hearing Loss
When the hearing loss is caused by inner ear problems related to nerves, it is known as a sensorineural hearing loss.
Causes:
- Head trauma
- Virus or disease
- Exposure to loud noise
- Aging
- Autoimmune disease of the inner ear
- Loss of hearing cases in the family
- Malformation of the inner ear
- Ménière’s disease
- Tumors
3. Mixed Hearing Loss
The combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss leads to mixed hearing loss. It means the damage can be to the middle, outer, or inner ear, or even to the auditory nerve.
Treatment
Depending upon the type of hearing loss, the doctors may recommend different types of treatments, including surgery and medicine.
In some cases, listening devices such as aids for hearing can be recommended.
The cause and severity of the loss of hearing also determine the type of treatment.
For example, hearing loss caused by aging cannot be cured medically or surgically, but listening devices and other hearing aids are advised to improve the quality of life.
Medical treatment is advised, including surgery and medications, particularly in the case of conductive hearing loss.
Sometimes, even medical treatment is not necessary, and a visit to an audiologist can help diagnose the proper reason behind the loss of hearing.
Depending on the analysis, proper treatment can be recommended.
Antibiotics are usually prescribed for conductive hearing loss caused by fluid or infection in the middle ear or earwax blocking the ear canal.
Using Hearing Aids
Hearing aids are recommended when the problem cannot be treated medically or surgically.
Your doctor can advise you to consult an audiologist to determine the type of hearing aids that would be appropriate for you.
Certain factors, such as hearing concerns, listening needs, and lifestyle, are highly important to determine the appropriate type of hearing aids.
