The wide variety of hearing loss
The most common, age-related hearing loss is called sensorineural hearing loss. The other main type is conductive hearing loss. In addition, the degree of hearing loss that people have covers a very broad spectrum from mild to profound. There are also different combinations and different ways that hearing loss occurs, such as sudden hearing loss, and hearing loss in one ear.
The three main types of hearing loss
Sensorineural hearing loss
This is caused by damage to the inner ear, affecting your ear's ability to transmit electrical impulses to the brain via the auditory nerve. This type of hearing loss is considered permanent as no cure exists; however, there are good treatment options to help.
Conductive hearing loss
Conductive hearing loss is caused by damage or obstruction in the outer or middle ear. Damage to these areas prevents the efficient transfer of energy from the environment to the inner ear. Unlike sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss is often treatable.
Mixed hearing loss
Mixed hearing loss contains a component of both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.
Hearing loss varies from mild to profound
The degree of hearing loss that a person can have is usually categorized into five distinct levels. Any slight hearing loss of 25 dB HL or less is still considered normal hearing.
Mild hearing loss: 26 to 40 dB HL
A bird chirping, a dripping tap and other soft sounds are often difficult to hear with mild hearing loss. So are high-frequency speech sounds, especially in noisy settings.
Moderate hearing loss: 41 to 55 dB HL
A phone ringing or the whirring of a fan may go unnoticed with this hearing loss. Group discussions are more complicated and tiring to follow.
Moderate-to-severe hearing loss: 56 to 70 dB HL
Normal conversations are difficult to hear with moderately severe hearing loss, even in quiet situations. People struggle to hear in most situations if they don’t have a hearing aid.
Severe hearing loss: 71 to 90 dB HL
Music and traffic sounds are muffled, and it is a struggle to follow discussions without concentrating hard. Even one-on-one conversations may sound mumbled and indistinct.
Profound hearing loss: 91 to 100 dB HL
People with profound hearing loss may not be able to hear speech, and only hear very loud sounds.
Would you like to know more about the different levels of hearing loss?
Other types of hearing loss
Hearing loss varies greatly in different people.
You can be born with hearing loss (congenital hearing loss), or you can acquire hearing loss during your life. Most hearing loss is age-related hearing loss, which happens naturally as we get older.
For children born with hearing loss, it can happen before they learn to speak (pre-lingual hearing loss), or it can be post-lingual hearing loss, which occurs after they have learned to speak.
People experience sudden hearing loss, as well as more progressive, gradual hearing loss called presbycusis or age-related hearing loss.
There is temporary hearing loss and permanent hearing loss.
You can have hearing loss in one ear, called unilateral hearing loss, or in both ears, which is called bilateral hearing loss, and is most common.
People with hearing loss in both ears can have symmetrical hearing loss, where both ears have the same hearing ability, or asymmetrical hearing loss, which is where their ears have different amounts of hearing loss.
Hearing loss can also fluctuate, where it gets better or worse over a relatively short time. It is usually stable however, which is where it remains the same.
Would you like to see more about the causes of hearing loss?
What is hearing loss and what causes it?