Medical Conditions in Simple Terms: Learn to Distinguish Between These 4 Types of Hearing Loss
Quality of life is decreased when certain aspects of your senses are limited, especially when it comes to hearing loss. However, learning to distinguish between the 4 different types of hearing loss can motivate you to seek the help you need to prevent hearing loss and enjoy the quality of life you have come to expect. Let’s take a closer look at each of these 4 types of hearing loss.
Central Auditory Processing Disorder
Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) is associated with your brain processing sounds and speech. For a person suffering from CAPD the various tones and distinctive within the sounds of speech are muddled together due to some sort of disruption inside the brain. According to Hear-it.org, “The problem is especially pronounced in situations with background noise.”
Assistive listing devices utilizing FM equipment can sometimes help to alleviate this problem, but in some cases auditory training programs are necessary to overcome this form of hearing loss.
Conductive Hearing Loss
An essential element in hearing is related to the conductive systems of the outer and middle ear, which transports sound to the inner ear where it can be processed. Conductive hearing loss is related to issues that limit the ability of these portions of the ear to transport sound. These problems are brought on by excessive ear wax, ear infections, fluid build-up, a punctured eardrum or some form of abnormal bone growth in the middle ear.
Surgery, specialized types of hearing aids and middle ear implants are some of the common ways that are used to correct conductive hearing loss.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Another of the four types of hearing loss is related to damage in the cochlea or nerve damage. This type of hearing loss is known as sensorineural hearing loss. In essence, the malfunctions of damage to the nervous system in the ear cause a failure in properly and accurately transporting the electrical information to the brain where it can be processed. This type of hearing loss is often caused by diseases, accidents, continuous exposure to loud noises or the natural aging process.
Hearing aids and cochlear implants are common remedies for sensorineural hearing loss. If you suffer from this type of hearing loss you might be interested in how to hear better with the help of Miracle-Ear.
Mixed Hearing Loss
The last of the four types of hearing loss is a combination of two types of hearing loss. The two types that make up mixed hearing loss are conductive and sensorineural. In this type of hearing loss, the sensorineural component is a permanent condition, but the conductive component can be either permanent or temporary. Mixed hearing loss occurs when a person who already has conductive hearing loss issues contracts an ear infection or some other conductive issue in the middle ear.
Because of the mixed composition of its causes, mixed hearing loss is typically treated through a combination of treatments designed to correct the issues of both types of hearing loss.
Conclusion
If you are suffering from hearing loss in some form, it is necessary to learn the difference between the 4 types of hearing loss in order to receive the treatment necessary for correcting the issue. Depending upon the level of hearing loss and its type, correction can be simple or more complex, but having your hearing loss corrected will certainly add to your quality of life.
