What Is Hearing Impairment?
Hearing impairment occurs when there’s a problem with or damage to one or more parts of the ear. • Conductive hearing loss results from a problem with the outer or middle ear, including the ear canal, eardrum, or ossicles. A blockage or other structural problem interferes with how sound gets conducted through the ear, making sound levels seem lower. In many cases, conductive hearing loss can be corrected with medications or surgery. • Sensorineural (pronounced: sen-so-ree-nyour-ul) hearing loss results from damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or the auditory nerve. The most common type is caused by the outer hair cells not functioning correctly. The person has trouble hearing clearly, understanding speech, and interpreting various sounds. This type of hearing loss is permanent. It may be treated with hearing aids or, in severe cases, a cochlear implant. In some other cases, the outer hair cells function correctly, but the inner hair cells or the nerve are damaged. This type of hearing lo
