Hearing Loss

Signs & Symptoms

  1. You feel that people are mumbling, speech is unclear or you miss out on parts of conversations
  2. You ask people to repeat themselves often
  3. Friends and family tell you that you don’t hear well
  4. You avoid social situations
  5. People complain that the television is too loud
  6. You don’t hear the telephone or doorbell ringing
  7. You have increased difficulty hearing when there is background noise present

 

Types of hearing loss

  1. Conductive
    1. This type of hearing loss occurs when there is damage or blockage in the outer or middle portion of the ear.
    2. Some causes of conductive loss include fluid in the middle ear, cerumen (earwax), infection, and malformation of the ear
    3. This type of hearing loss can often be medically or surgically treated
  2. Sensorineural
    1. This type of hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the inner portion of the ear (cochlea) or the auditory nerve pathways
    2. This type of hearing loss can be caused by many things including diseases, birth defects, medications, genetic syndromes, noise exposure and aging.
    3. Sensorineural hearing loss can involve both the ability to hear and to understand speech
    4. Sensorineural hearing loss is usually a permanent loss
  3. Mixed
    1. This type of hearing loss is a combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing losses, where there may be damage involving the outer, middle and inner portion of the ear

Degrees of hearing loss

  1. Normal range of hearing
    1. 0 – 25 decibels
  2. Mild loss
    1. 26 – 44 decibels
  3. Moderate loss
    1. 45 – 64 decibels
  4. Severe loss
    1. 65 – 89 decibels
  5. Profound loss
    1. 90 + decibels

 

Hearing Loss Links


            www.asha.org/public/hearing/disorders/types.htm

            www.asha.org/public/hearing/anatomy/
           
            www.hearingloss.org/learn/factsheets.asp