Conductive hearing loss occurs when either the outer ear, the eardrum, the middle ear, or the middle ear bones become diseased or injured. Your first warning of a conductive loss may be a subdued quality in the sounds you hear. Familiar sounds will not seem as loud as they once were, and less intense sounds may not attract your attention at all. The quality of sound may be about the same, but the loudness or intensity will be reduced.
Causes of Conductive Hearing Loss
There are several possible causes for this type of hearing loss:
- The outer part of the ear or ear canal may be incomplete or partially blocked by a growth of bone
- An accumulation of wax may be blocking the ear canal, preventing sound from entering
- An infection of the skin tissues which line the canal walls can cause itching, rawness, swelling, and closure of the external ear canal (external otitis)
- The mastoid bone marrow and tissue may be infected (otitis Media)
- The eardrum may be ruptured
- The middle ear bones may be disrupted, destroyed or immobilized
Many of these conductive situations can be corrected either through surgery or through medical treatment .It is important to seek medical care whenever you notice hearing loss, ear pain, drainage from the ear, or a feeling of stuffiness. Left untreated, many types of conductive hearing losses can progress and so immediate attention should be given to their care.
