From Da ear to Da Brain & classifications of hearing loss

I thought I should definitely start at the beginning of how hearing works. I am including a little video, that I didnt make; but sometimes these things are better explained in animation :))

 


XXXXXX There are different types of hearing loss that affect people in different ways. We use our battery of tests to crosscheck and classify the different types of hearing loss. There are also different methods of rehabilitation or treatment for the hearing losses.

They are classified as  Conductive, Sensorineural and Mixed hearing loss.

Conductive Hearing loss is where the lesion is in the middle or outer ear.

• The intensity of the sound has to be increased to reach the cochlea. 

• The inner ear is working normally.

• Conductive hearing losses are not always permanent. 

• They can often be fixed with medical intervention or may clear by itself like a middle ear infection. But sometimes the conductive loss is permanent if the middle ear is permanently damaged from ear infections or there is an atresia.

Sensorineural Hearing loss is when the lesion is in the inner ear and onwards

• This can be caused by damaged cochlear; inner hair cells and/or outer hair cells and along the neural pathway. This damage means that mechanical energy from the middle ear is not converted to neural impulses in the hearing and balance nerve (8th nerve). 

• People with sensorineural hearing loss have many difficulties understanding speech because their frequency resolution and dynamic range is reduced. 

• People often say that they can hear the words but cant quite make out what they are, the words arent clear..or more often "every body mumbles"

• Turning up the volume (intensity) will not take their speech understanding back to normal. 

• Sensorineural hearing losses are permanent; once the hearing organ is damaged it cannot be repaired. So turn your ipod down sonny jim :)

Mixed Hearing Loss is a mix of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.

• People with mixed losses have a lesion in their outer or middle ear; say an ear infection.

• Meanwhile, they already had a sensorineural hearing loss from listening to loud music all their lives. The conductive component of the hearing loss may be able to be treated.

• However, the sensorineural loss will always remain.

This website was sited in my slides and the bottom of the pages are examples of what different hearing losses might sound like Type of Hearing Loss and how they might sound