How We Hear
Normal Hearing
Sound enters the auditory canal and vibrates the eardrum. The three smallest bones in the body, the ossicles, are sent into motion by the vibrating eardrum. The motion of the stapes bone displaces fluid within the cochlea. Fluid displacement results in the movement of tiny hair cells, which turn sends a neural impulse up the auditory nerve to be interpreted by the brain.
Conductive Hearing Loss
Conductive hearing loss is an interference to the transmission of sound in the outer or middle ear. Some of the most common causes of conductive hearing loss include:
- Otitis media (ear infection)
- Otosclerosis
- Cerumen impaction
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Sensorineural hearing loss is damage to the hair cells in the cochlea or the auditory nerve. The most common causes of sensorineural hearing loss include aging and excess noise exposure.