When you believe you have a loss of hearing, there are a couple of different types that you can have. One type that is common is known as conductive hearing loss. This happens when sound waves have a problem passing through the route of your outer ear, middle ear, eardrum or the inner ear.
This type of hearing loss can happen alone or it can happen in conjunction with sensorineural hearing loss, which is the second most common type of hearing loss that occurs in many people.
There are many different causes of the conductive loss of hearing that you need to be aware of. Determining the cause of your loss of hearing is important so you can find the best solution to help you hear well again.
The best thing to do is to visit an audiologist. They will run some tests that will tell them exactly what type of hearing loss you have and the cause of it.
The following are some of the most common causes:
- Build up of ear wax
- Fluid behind the eardrum
- Foreign object in the ear canal
- Ear infections
- Otosclerosis
Now that you know some of the most common causes, you need to know what some of the symptoms are so you can keep a watch for any of them that you may be experiencing. The following are the symptoms you need to be aware of.
- Tinnitus
- Fullness in the ear feeling
- Sounds muffled, faint or non-existent
- Everything said to you needs to be repeated
- Withdrawing from social activities
- Embarrassment or depression
Now that you know the causes and symptoms, the one last important thing you need to know about this type of hearing loss is the treatments that are available. The treatments can include:
- Removing the obstruction from the ear
- Surgery
- Hearing aids
- Drainage of fluids that have built up
- Softening and removing the buildup of ear wax
- Antibiotics like oral medication or ear drops
Knowing the causes, symptoms and treatments of conductive hearing loss is important so you can determine if you have it and so you can find the best way to treat it. Always do the smart thing and get help from an audiologist because when taken care of right, you will be able to get rid of the problem altogether or at least find a good solution so you can hear life around you again.