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Home , Audiogram, Audiology, Cochlea, Conductive hearing loss, Ear, Earwax

Type, Degree, and Configuration of Information Series Loss

When describing , we generally look at three • trauma aspects: type of hearing loss, degree of hearing loss, and • Malformation of the inner configuration of hearing loss. • Exposure to loud TYPES OF HEARING LOSS m Mixed hearing loss occurs when a conductive hearing There are three basic types of hearing loss: conductive, loss happens in combination with an SNHL. In other sensorineural, and mixed. words, there may be damage in the outer or and in the () or auditory . m occurs when is not sent easily through the outer to the and the DEGREE OF HEARING LOSS tiny () of the middle ear. Conductive hearing loss makes softer and less easy to hear. This type of Degree of hearing loss refers to the severity of the loss. hearing loss can often be corrected medically or surgically. The table below shows one of the more commonly used Some possible causes of conductive hearing loss are: classification systems. The numbers are representative of the patient’s hearing loss range in (dB HL). • Fluid in the middle ear from colds or • Ear ( media) Degree of hearing Hearing loss range • Poor function loss (dB HL) • Hole in the eardrum Normal –10 to 15 • Too much (cerumen) Slight 16 to 25 • Swimmer’s ear (external otitis) Mild 26 to 40 Moderate 41 to 55 • in the ear canal Moderately severe 56 to 70 • Malformation of the , ear canal, or middle ear Severe 71 to 90 m Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) happens when Profound 91+ there is damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or to the nerve pathways from the inner ear to the . Most of the time, Source: Clark, J. G. (1981). Uses and abuses of hearing loss SNHL cannot be medically or surgically corrected. This is classification. Asha, 23, 493–500. the most common type of permanent hearing loss. CONFIGURATION OF HEARING LOSS SNHL reduces the ability to hear faint sounds. Even when speech is loud enough to hear, it may still be unclear or The configuration, or shape, of the hearing loss refers to sound muffled. the degree and pattern of hearing loss across (tones) as illustrated in a graph called an . Some possible causes of SNHL are: For example, a hearing loss that only affects the high • Drugs that are toxic to hearing tones would be described as a high- loss. Its • Hearing loss that runs in the family (genetic or configuration would show good hearing in the low tones hereditary) and poor hearing in the high tones. • Aging On the other , if only the low frequencies were affected, the configuration would show poorer hearing for low tones and better hearing for high tones. Some hearing

Audiology Information Series © ASHA 2015 10802 loss configurations are flat, indicating the same amount of o Illnesses or such as CMV, hearing loss for low and high tones. o Head Other descriptors associated with hearing o Exposure to loud noise loss are: o (TBI) • Bilateral versus unilateral. Bilateral hearing loss means • Symmetrical versus asymmetrical. Symmetrical means hearing loss in both . (UHL) the degree and configuration of hearing loss are the means that hearing is normal in one ear but there is same in each ear. Asymmetrical means the degree and hearing loss in the other ear. The hearing loss can range configuration are different in each ear. from mild to very severe. UHL can occur in both adults • Progressive versus sudden hearing loss. Progressive and children. means that hearing loss becomes worse over time. Approximately 1 out of every 10,000 children is born Sudden means that the loss happens quickly. Such a with UHL, and nearly 3% of school-age children have hearing loss requires immediate medical to UHL. Children with UHL are at higher risk for having determine its cause and treatment. academic, speech-, and social-emotional • Fluctuating versus stable hearing loss. Fluctuating difficulties than their normal hearing peers. This may means hearing loss that changes over time—sometimes be because UHL is often not identified, and the children getting better, sometimes getting worse. Stable hearing do not receive intervention. loss does not change over time and remains the same. Below are some possible causes of UHL: o Hearing loss that runs in the family (genetic or hereditary) o An outer, middle, or inner ear abnormality o Syndromes such as Down and

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Audiology Information Series © ASHA 2015 10802