What parts of the ear are affected if a client has a conductive hearing loss?
Hearing loss makes it hard to hear conversations and other sounds. Some people develop hearing loss as they age, but it can affect anyone. Some babies are born with hearing loss (congenital hearing loss). Certain types of hearing impairments are treatable and preventable. Show
OverviewWhat is hearing loss?Hearing loss can make it difficult to understand, follow or participate in conversations. You may struggle to track what people are saying on TV or the telephone, and you may miss out on the pleasant sounds of nature. Significant hearing loss can affect your ability to work and enjoy life. How common is hearing loss?More than 1 in 10 Americans have some degree of hearing loss. It’s the most common sensory processing disorder. These disorders affect how your brain processes information from senses, such as hearing, vision, taste and touch. Who might have hearing loss?Hearing loss affects all ages, genders, races and ethnicities. Hearing loss in older adults is common, affecting 1 in 3 people older than 65, and half of people over 75. Age-related hearing loss is called presbycusis. Hearing loss also affects infants and children. An estimated 2 in 1,000 infants are born with some type of hearing loss. Hearing loss in children is one of the most common birth defects. A condition that is present at birth is called a congenital condition. What are the types of hearing loss?You can have hearing loss in one ear (unilateral) or both (bilateral). The type depends on where damage occurs within the hearing system. Types of hearing loss include:
What’s the difference between hearing loss and deafness?A person with hearing loss can still hear sounds well enough to participate in conversations. They can improve their hearing ability through hearing aids or other treatments. Someone who is deaf can hear very little or nothing at all. Hearing aids and devices don’t help. A person who is deaf may use sign language to communicate. Symptoms and CausesWhat causes hearing loss?Loud noises frequently cause hearing loss. Sometimes this exposure is sudden and short-term. Attending a loud concert or being close to a gun blast can damage hearing. Long-term noise exposure affects many professions. Farmers, construction workers, musicians and military members are most at risk. Occupational hearing loss is a top work-related illness in the U.S. Other risk factors that raise your likelihood of hearing loss include:
What are the symptoms of hearing loss?Hearing loss can happen gradually. You might not even notice you’re losing your hearing. Most people don’t have any pain with hearing loss. Instead, you might notice you:
Signs of hearing loss in children include:
Diagnosis and TestsWhat healthcare providers diagnose and treat hearing loss?If you suspect hearing loss, you may see an:
Audiologists or hearing aid specialists often work with otolaryngologists. As a team, they can address all your hearing issues to help improve your hearing. How is hearing loss diagnosed?Your provider will ask about your symptoms and do a physical exam. They check for signs of infection or other issues that could cause hearing loss. To measure hearing loss, a healthcare provider performs an audiogram. This hearing test measures which types of sounds you can hear. The test measures:
If you have an injury or a possible tumor, you may get a CT scan or MRI. Management and TreatmentWhat are the complications of hearing loss?Having hearing loss can make you feel disconnected from the world around you. You may become frustrated, irritable or angry. People with severe hearing loss can become anxious or depressed. Children with hearing loss may struggle in school and get poor grades. Studies also show a link between hearing loss in older adults and dementia. How is hearing loss managed or treated?Hearing loss treatments often depend on the type and degree of hearing loss. Treatments include:
Does insurance cover the cost of hearing aids?Medical insurance may provide coverage for hearing devices — check your plan for specific coverage. Care at Cleveland Clinic
PreventionHow can I prevent hearing loss?Noise exposure is one of the most common and preventable causes of hearing loss. To help prevent noise-induced hearing loss:
Outlook / PrognosisWhat is the prognosis (outlook) for people who have hearing loss?Certain types and causes of hearing loss are treatable. You may regain most, or all, hearing with treatment. Sensorineural and age-related hearing loss is usually permanent. Most people with this type of hearing loss benefit from hearing aids. Living WithWhen should I call the doctor?You should call your healthcare provider if you have hearing loss or you experience:
A note from Cleveland ClinicIt can be frustrating and depressing to go through life missing out on conversations or hearing muffled sounds. Hearing loss affects a lot of people. You shouldn’t be embarrassed to seek out help. Today’s hearing devices are smaller and very discreet. Your healthcare provider can determine the best way to improve your hearing so you can be in tune with the sounds around you again. Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 05/25/2021. References
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Your ear is made up of three parts— the outer, the middle, and the inner ear. A conductive hearing loss happens when sounds cannot get through the outer and middle ear. It may be hard to hear soft sounds. Louder sounds may be muffled.
What structures are involved in conductive hearing loss?Conductive hearing loss can be produced by any defect in the pinna, external auditory canal, tympanic membrane, and ossicles, up to the footplate of the stapes.
Does conductive hearing loss affect the cochlea?What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor? Hearing loss can be broadly separated into two categories: conductive and sensorineural (damage to tiny hair cells in the inner ear). Conductive hearing loss results when there is any problem in delivering sound energy to your cochlea, the hearing part in the inner ear.
What happens when people experience conductive hearing loss?conductive hearing loss – when sounds are unable to pass from your outer ear to your inner ear, often because of a blockage such as earwax, glue ear or a build-up of fluid from an ear infection, or because of a perforated ear drum or disorder of the hearing bones.
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