Conductive hearing loss is a common form of hearing loss that happens when damage or an obstruction to the outer or middle ear drum stops sound travelling through the ear to the ear drum and the minuscule bones of the inner ear.
Depending on its cause, conductive hearing loss can be temporary or permanent, although the good news is it is usually very treatable. This type of hearing loss has many possible causes, so if you feel you may be suffering from conductive hearing loss, it’s important to make an appointment with an audiologist as soon as possible. Here at the Hearing Centre we see many patients in our Leicester clinic in order to pinpoint the cause of conductive hearing loss and treat it appropriately.
What does conductive hearing loss feel like?
Conductive hearing loss is often defined as the loss of the volume of noise, but not its clarity. This is because the hearing loss is caused by noise struggling to reach the inner ear. Conductive hearing loss may also have the following symptoms:
- It’s easier to hear out of one ear than the other
- A feeling of pain and/or pressure in one or both ears
- The sensation that your own voice sounds different
- A discharge from the ear that may have an unpleasant smell
What are the causes of conductive hearing loss?
Causes of everyday noises sounding fainter than usual include:
- A middle ear infection (otitis media)
- A build-up of earwax in the ears
- A perforated eardrum
- A build-up of fluid in the middle ear (glue ear)
- Abnormal bone growth in the middle ear (otosclerosis) – this is a common cause of conductive hearing loss in young adults
How is it treated?
Once diagnosed, many cases of conductive hearing loss can be easily treated at home. At the Hearing Centre, we treat many cases of conductive hearing loss by using a microsuction device to remove anything blocking the ear, which is normally a result in the build-up of earwax. The recommended course of treatment will depend on both the cause and the area of the ear that is being affected. We do not require a referral from your doctor to investigate conductive hearing loss and our sophisticated hearing test equipment ensures a thorough investigation and accurate diagnosis.
Does conductive hearing loss always occur in isolation?
No, occasionally an audiologist’s investigations will find that conductive hearing loss is occurring in conjunction with sensorineural hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type of hearing loss and is diagnosed when there is hearing loss in the inner ear or nerve damage to the hearing nerve. When sensorineural hearing loss occurs at the same time as conductive hearing loss, your audiologist will be able to advise on the best course of action to restore your hearing to the best possible levels.
Expert treatment for conductive hearing loss
If you think you are experiencing symptoms of conductive hearing loss or any other type of hearing problem, fill in our booking form or call us on 0116 254 3909 to arrange a hearing test in Leicester with one of our expert audiologists.
