There are 3 main types of hearing. There are 3 he types of hearing has been tested, you & # 39; re hearing healthcare provider will likely categorize yourself healing impairment. impairment: conductive, sensorineural, and mixed.
Conductive hearing loss is typified by defect, dysfunction, or damage of the outer ear, middle ear, or any combination of the two. This is the outer ear, the external ear canal, the tympanic membrane (ear drum), These bones are commonly called the hammer (malleus), anvil (incus), and stirrup (stapes).
Incoming sounds may seem to be dull, muffled, diminished, or softer than normal. Many patients complain of having plugged, full, or stopped up ears.
This type of hearing injury may also be called: sensory loss, inner ear loss, cochlear hearing impairment (cochlea), dysfunction, or damage of the ear ear (cochlea) , nerve deafness or nerve loss.
Patients commonly complain that other are mumbling, speaking unclear, and / or Sorry, there are no tweets to show related to that person 's principal. talking too fastly. Most patients will say that they can & # 39; hear & # 39 ;, but that they do not understand.
Therefore, this hearing injury occurs in not only the outer and / or middle ear but also the inner ear and and / or hearing nerve. Loudness and comprehension / understanding will be an issue for those with mixed hearing impairment. Any combination of symptoms of conductor and sensorineural hearing loss can be expected.
There are two other uncommon categories of loss, including: functional and central hearing impairment. Functional hearing loss is not an actual hearing impairment at all.
With a functional loss, normal hearing is present, but a loss is perceived or created. Impairment is not due to any physical damage or defect, but rather to a psychological, social, or emotional problem or disorder.
While the peripheral hearing system is functioning normally, processing is sound is damaged at the central processing area. the level of the brain. Symptoms of central loss may be like like sensorineural loss.
Ask you hearing healthcare professional to thoroughly describe your hearing loss type and its implications, so that you can make make good decisions on treatment and management!
