Types & Causes of Hearing Loss

Understanding the underlying cause and type of hearing loss is the essential first step in determining the right clinical treatment. At Hearing Aid Specialists Sth East Qld, our certified audiometrists perform thorough diagnostic evaluations across our Stafford, Rochedale, Labrador, and Beenleigh clinics to pinpoint exactly where hearing changes are occurring.

The Three Main Types of Hearing Loss

1. Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common form of permanent hearing impairment. It occurs when delicate hair cells in the inner ear (cochlea) or the auditory nerve pathways to the brain become damaged.

• Common Causes: Natural aging (presbycusis), prolonged exposure to loud noise, hereditary factors, or certain ototoxic medications.
• Key Symptoms: Sounds lack clarity rather than volume. Speech sounds muffled, and high-pitched sounds (like women’s or children’s voices, or birds chirping) become difficult to hear.
• Treatment Options: While sensorineural hearing loss cannot be reversed medically, it is exceptionally responsive to modern prescription digital hearing aids.

2. Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive hearing loss happens when sound waves cannot travel efficiently through the outer ear canal, eardrum, or middle ear bones (ossicles).

• Common Causes: Excessive earwax buildup, fluid behind the eardrum, middle ear infections, perforated eardrum, or otosclerosis.
• Key Symptoms: Overall volume is reduced across all sounds, but speech remains clear if turned up sufficiently loud.
• Treatment Options: Often temporary or medically treatable. Depending on the cause, solutions range from earwax removal to medical management via your GP, or specialized bone-conduction hearing devices.

3. Mixed Hearing Loss

Mixed hearing loss is a combination of both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss, meaning damage exists in both the inner ear and the outer or middle ear pathways simultaneously.

What Causes Hearing Loss in Adults?

• Age-Related Hearing Loss (Presbycusis): The natural wear and tear of inner ear hair cells over time, typically affecting adults over 50.

• Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL): Damage caused by one-time acoustic trauma or chronic exposure to industrial work noise, power tools, lawnmowers, or loud music.



• Medical Conditions & Genetics: Vascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and family history can all contribute to auditory changes.
  

Get an Accurate Clinical Diagnosis Today

Because treatment depends on the exact type of hearing loss, self-diagnosis can delay effective care. Our independent family clinic provides unbiased diagnostic assessments using modern clinical equipment.

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