Ear & Problems With Hearing

The ear is divided into three parts: outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. Sound waves are picked up by the outer ear, or pinna, and travel through the ear canal. The waves then reach the eardrum in the middle ear, causing it to vibrate and move three tiny bones --- the hammer, anvil and stirrup --- that help move the waves along to the inner ear where it is processed as sound. Sometimes, however, this process doesn't always work properly.

Conductive Hearing Loss

• Conductive hearing loss is when a problem occurs in the outer or middle ear, in relation to something that is blocking the passage of sound or air between the outer and inner ear. This blockage means that sound cannot be transmitted, or conducted, to the inner ear, which leads to hearing loss.

Sensory Hearing Loss

• Sensory hearing loss occurs when the cochlea, where sounds are converted into nerve impulses in the inner ear, is not working properly due to damage or destruction of its tiny hair cells. A person with sensory hearing loss might be able to hear some sounds more clearly in a quiet environment, although the sounds are generally muffled, but will often not be able to hear any sound at all. Sensory hearing loss is usually permanent.

Neural Hearing Loss

• Neural hearing loss is directly related to a problem with the connection between the cochlea and the brain. Neural means related to the nerves or nervous system, so neural hearing loss occurs when the nerve designed to carry converted sound waves from the cochlea to the brain gets damaged.