How does hearing work?
How does hearing work?
What can go wrong?
There are two basic types of hearing loss:

Conductive

Conductive hearing loss is relatively rare.  It happens when something prevents sound from moving as it should via the ear canal, ear drum or middle ear.  The causes can often be quite mundane, such as excessive wax in the ear canal or infections (if your hearing has ever been affected by a bad head cold, that's a conductive hearing loss).  It can also happen as a result of perforation of the ear drum or conditions affecting the structures of the middle ear.  These cases can often be treated quite simply by medication or surgery.


Sensorineural

This by far the more common type of loss, affecting over 90% of those with hearing problems.  It happens as a result of damage to microscopic cells in the inner ear (specifically the cochlea) or to the acoustic nerve.  This damage can be caused by infections, genetic defects, some drugs, head trauma or prolonged exposure to loud noise, but the most common cause is simple wear and tear.  Unfortunately this type of hearing loss is permanent, and the only hope of improvement is to use hearing aids.

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