Causes of conductive hearing loss

The causes of conductive hearing loss can be found in two areas: the outer ear and the middle ear. Because there are various causes of conductive hearing loss, it can be permanent or temporary.

External ear causes of conductive hearing loss

An obstruction of anything that blocks the ear canal can cause conductive hearing loss because it prevents sound from reaching the middle ear. Obstruction can include compacted ear mass or obstruction by objects inserted into the canal. This type of conductive hearing loss may not be permanent. An infection or disease in the ear canal can block the ear canal and cause conductive hearing loss. Common examples are swimmer’s ear and exostoses (bony growths). Disorders Some people are born with congenital disorders such as atresia, where the lack of development of the ear canal can cause conductive hearing loss. The ear canal can also have stenosis, an abnormal narrowing of the ear canal, which can be congenital or acquired later in life. Some disorders also affect the outer ear, which you can see and can lead to conductive hearing loss.

Causes of conductive hearing loss in the middle ear

Eardrum problems conductive hearing loss can occur when the movements of the eardrum are disrupted. Many factors can cause this. These include a hole in the eardrum, an ear infection, thickening of the eardrum tissue, or a pressure imbalance in the middle ear (too much or too little). Fluid accumulation behind the eardrum can prevent the movement of the eardrum and reduce the movement of the middle ear bones. Both problems cause conductive hearing loss in the middle ear. Disruption of the middle ear bones Any injury that separates these three bones from each other can cause conductive hearing loss. Several middle ear diseases or disorders can cause conductive hearing loss, including benign tumors, otosclerosis, or cholesteatoma. Eustachian tube dysfunction The eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the back of the throat. It opens and closes as needed to maintain proper pressure in the middle ear or to drain fluid. When your ears “cap,” the opening of this tube releases pressure in the middle ear. If the Eustachian tube becomes blocked, pressure and fluid build up in the middle ear, causing conductive hearing loss.

Conductive hearing loss symptoms

If you have conductive hearing loss, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:

• Pain in one or both ears can indicate an ear problem and may cause hearing loss.
• A feeling of congestion or pressure in the ear that cannot be equalized. This could indicate that you have a middle ear problem
• Muffled voice or difficulty hearing the voices of people and sounds around you
• Discharge of any fluid that comes out of the ear, especially discharge that has a bad smell or color (yellow, green, or pus).
• Ringing in the ears, also known as tinnitus
• The person’s voice sounds louder and unusual
• If your hearing level is better in one ear, it is non-parallel hearing.
• If you experience any of these symptoms, you should see your doctor and have your hearing tested by your audiologist.

What is conductive hearing loss?

People’s experiences of conductive hearing loss depend on whether the hearing loss is mild or severe.

Mild conductive hearing loss

Many soft everyday sounds may be ignored by a person with mild hearing loss. Although people with mild hearing loss can communicate well in a quiet environment, in situations where there is background noise, words that begin with silent letters (“s”, “f” or “th”) may be heard. “) to be wrong.

Moderate conductive hearing loss

People with moderate hearing loss have more difficulty hearing and understanding speech at normal conversational levels. Following a conversation requires more effort, and many words may be missed or misunderstood, even when it is silent. In background noise, it may not be possible to follow a conversation at normal levels.

Moderate to severe conductive hearing loss

People with moderate to severe hearing loss have difficulty understanding speech in most situations and even more so when the situation is noisy. Television or radio cannot be understood at normal levels and require louder volume levels.

How do you treat conductive hearing loss?

To treat conductive hearing loss, a general practitioner or otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat) will examine your ears to determine where the conductive loss is occurring in your hearing system. When they determine the cause and degree of hearing loss, they will guide you to the necessary treatment. Conductive hearing loss can be treated in many cases so that the hearing returns to normal or to the level before the conductive hearing loss occurred. If the cause of hearing loss is permanent, treatment includes hearing aids or surgical treatment options. In the case of conductive hearing loss in both ears (bilateral conductive hearing loss), two hearing aids may be required.

Treatment of conductive hearing loss

• The treatment of conductive hearing loss depends on the cause of the hearing loss. Here are some examples:
• hearing aids. For a non-surgical solution, a conventional hearing aid can help compensate for conductive loss in conductive hearing loss.
• suction Your doctor can rule out problems like compressed earwax or objects in the ear canal.
• Antibiotics or other medications can be used to treat different types of ear infections.
• Surgical procedure Certain abnormalities, tumors, or diseases can be treated with surgery to repair the damage, such as placing glue on the eardrum to cover the hole or removing tumors or diseases such as cholesteatoma.
• Different implants can help with certain types of middle ear injuries.

What is the difference between conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss?

Unlike sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss is often treatable. With conductive hearing loss, the inner ear and auditory nerve function normally. People with conductive hearing loss usually have a problem with the overall loudness of sounds, but not with their clarity. So, if the volume can be turned up high enough, they should be able to hear.

The intensity of conductive hearing loss is placed in one of three categories instead of five categories like sensorineural hearing loss:

• Mild conductive hearing loss: 26 to 40 dB HL
• Moderate conductive hearing loss: 41 to 55 dB HL
• Moderate to severe conductive hearing loss: 56 to 70 dB HL.

The lower your results are on the list, the greater the hearing loss and the more significant the impact on your hearing ability