{"id":584,"date":"2020-09-02T12:07:52","date_gmt":"2020-09-02T03:07:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/what-is-conductive-hearing-loss-symptoms-causes-and-treatment\/"},"modified":"2020-12-01T10:17:30","modified_gmt":"2020-12-01T01:17:30","slug":"what-is-conductive-hearing-loss-symptoms-causes-and-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss\/what-is-conductive-hearing-loss-symptoms-causes-and-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Conductive Hearing Loss? Symptoms, Causes and Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a few different types of hearing loss. Here we explain conductive hearing loss, including its causes and treatment options.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The two main types of hearing loss are conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. The key difference between the two is that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.specsavers.co.uk\/hearing\/ear-health\/conductive-hearing-loss\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">they affect different parts of the ear<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Your ear can be split up into three parts \u2012 the outer ear, middle ear, and the inner ear.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#Definition_of_Conductive_Hearing_Loss\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">1<\/span> Definition of Conductive Hearing Loss<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Causes_of_Conductive_Hearing_Loss\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">2<\/span> Causes of Conductive Hearing Loss\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Is_Tinnitus_Conductive_Hearing_Loss\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">3<\/span> Is Tinnitus Conductive Hearing Loss?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Treatment_for_Conductive_Hearing_Loss\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">4<\/span> Treatment for Conductive Hearing Loss\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"Definition_of_Conductive_Hearing_Loss\">Definition of Conductive Hearing Loss<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have conductive hearing loss, you have <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/global.widex.com\/en\/hearing-loss\/types-of-hearing-loss\/conductive-hearing-loss\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">an issue with the outer or middle ear (and sometimes the ear canal)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making it hard for sounds to get through to your inner ear where it needs to be processed. On the other hand, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/blogs\/the-olive-branch\/what-is-sensorineural-hearing-loss\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> results from damage to the inner ear (or the sensory part of the ear), where sounds are transmitted to the brain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conductive hearing loss means that the passage of sound is blocked. This can be a result of physical blockages or damaged anatomical structures in the ear. As sound can\u2019t get through the ear canal or middle ear to the cochlea in the inner ear, the way that you perceive sounds can change. You will find it <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.asha.org\/public\/hearing\/Conductive-Hearing-Loss\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">difficult to hear soft sounds<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and louder sounds might seem muffled. Just like when you cover your ears or wear earplugs, everything can seem quieter than usual.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite conductive hearing loss having a number of different potential causes, this type of hearing loss can often be fixed by taking medication. It sometimes requires surgery.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, it is useful to know that conductive hearing loss can occur in one or both ears.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A few signs can indicate that you have conductive hearing loss, such as if you:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have trouble hearing conversations<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Notice differences in your hearing in each ear<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feel pressure, pain, or discomfort in the affected ear<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think that your own voice sounds different to usual<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Notice that when you talk to others their speech is still clear, just too quiet to hear<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Causes_of_Conductive_Hearing_Loss\">Causes of Conductive Hearing Loss\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conductive hearing loss can have various causes:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fluid in the middle ear<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An ear infection (otitis media) or chronic infection<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Infection in the ear canal (external otitis or swimmer\u2019s ear)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accumulation of earwax (cerumen) in the ear canal<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A perforated eardrum\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eustachian tube drainage issues<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A foreign object stuck in the outer ear (often an issue with children)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An issue with the formation of the middle or outer ear\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The presence of a growth in the middle ear (cholesteatoma) or ear canal making it narrower<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Abnormal bone growth near the middle ear (otosclerosis)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An audiologist will be able to determine the cause of your hearing loss through a comprehensive hearing test, medical examination, and discussion of your medical history.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Is_Tinnitus_Conductive_Hearing_Loss\">Is Tinnitus Conductive Hearing Loss?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tinnitus cases are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/actiononhearingloss.org.uk\/information-and-support\/tinnitus\/tinnitus-causes\/#:~:text=This%20type%20of%20hearing%20loss,hearing%20loss%20is%20called%20conductive.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">usually caused by damage to the inner ear<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, known as sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). This type of damage occurs due to causes such as aging and loud noise exposure.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although cases are less common, tinnitus can also arise from conductive hearing loss. You will need to discuss your symptoms with your doctor and have a medical examination to determine the likely cause of your tinnitus.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Treatment_for_Conductive_Hearing_Loss\">Treatment for Conductive Hearing Loss\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most cases of conductive hearing loss are temporary. This will depend on the cause of your hearing loss, but often when the underlying condition is resolved, the hearing loss goes away.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conductive hearing loss causes can vary. This means that you might be able to get a quick diagnosis from your physician, but may be referred to an audiologist for further tests.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll be asked about your symptoms and medical history before your doctor conducts a medical examination. Things they will check for include <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.specsavers.co.uk\/hearing\/ear-health\/conductive-hearing-loss\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a blockage in the ear, signs of infection, and ear damage using an otoscope (a medical device used to look into the ears)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your physician may use a Weber test or Rinne test using a tuning fork to ascertain how you hear sound. As a change in ear pressure can affect how sound is conducted, they might also check the pressure within your ear using a tympanogram to measure the mobility of the eardrum.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As mentioned, some instances of conductive hearing loss can be resolved with medication such as antibiotics (for infections), removing a foreign object stuck in the ear, or cleaning away excess earwax if your ear is impacted.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In more serious cases in which the hearing loss is permanent, you might be able to manage your symptoms with the use of a hearing aid. For example, if the functioning of the Corti organ in the cochlea is normal, the transmission of sound in the outer or middle ear can be improved by a well-fitted hearing aid.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For other types of conductive hearing loss, surgery might be needed. For example, this might be required if you have an abnormal growth in the ear. However, these medical procedures are not guaranteed to reverse the damage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The causes and treatment options for individuals with conductive hearing loss varies. If you experience the symptoms of hearing loss (whether they occur suddenly or you\u2019ve noticed them gradually developing over time), contact your doctor and arrange an appointment as soon as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You shouldn\u2019t wait to seek medical attention if you have hearing loss as it can lead to further health issues if left untreated. A specialist will be able to get to the bottom of your symptoms and find a solution.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For more information on hearing loss, see <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/blogs\/the-olive-branch\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">our other blog posts<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><b>The information in this guide has been written using the following reliable sources:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.asha.org\/public\/hearing\/Conductive-Hearing-Loss\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.asha.org\/public\/hearing\/Conductive-Hearing-Loss\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/global.widex.com\/en\/hearing-loss\/types-of-hearing-loss\/conductive-hearing-loss\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/global.widex.com\/en\/hearing-loss\/types-of-hearing-loss\/conductive-hearing-loss<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.specsavers.co.uk\/hearing\/ear-health\/conductive-hearing-loss\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.specsavers.co.uk\/hearing\/ear-health\/conductive-hearing-loss<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/actiononhearingloss.org.uk\/information-and-support\/tinnitus\/tinnitus-causes\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/actiononhearingloss.org.uk\/information-and-support\/tinnitus\/tinnitus-causes\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Conductive hearing loss is one of the two main types of hearing loss. Find out how to recognize if you have it, what can cause it, and what treatment is available for it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":834,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6,3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss\/what-is-conductive-hearing-loss-symptoms-causes-and-treatment\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is Conductive Hearing Loss? Symptoms, Causes and Treatment - Olive Union\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Conductive hearing loss is one of the two main types of hearing loss. Find out how to recognize if you have it, what can cause it, and what treatment is available for it.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss\/what-is-conductive-hearing-loss-symptoms-causes-and-treatment\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Olive Union\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-09-02T03:07:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-12-01T01:17:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ben-white-7SRymDKKDus-unsplash.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2447\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1634\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\">\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/\",\"name\":\"Olive Union\",\"description\":\"Introducing the Olive Smart Ear: A Cool, Affordable Wearable That Removes the Stigma from Impaired Hearing. Each Olive Smart Ear is a single-ear hearing amplifier that improves the sound of everyday life and is customized to your own hearing. When paired to smartphone with Bluetooth, each earbud can also amplify phone\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/?s={search_term_string}\",\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss\/what-is-conductive-hearing-loss-symptoms-causes-and-treatment\/#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ben-white-7SRymDKKDus-unsplash.jpg\",\"width\":2447,\"height\":1634},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss\/what-is-conductive-hearing-loss-symptoms-causes-and-treatment\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss\/what-is-conductive-hearing-loss-symptoms-causes-and-treatment\/\",\"name\":\"What is Conductive Hearing Loss? Symptoms, Causes and Treatment - Olive Union\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss\/what-is-conductive-hearing-loss-symptoms-causes-and-treatment\/#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2020-09-02T03:07:52+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-12-01T01:17:30+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/#\/schema\/person\/3563fa3f05dc4a3ac5f50e2129b8b728\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss\/what-is-conductive-hearing-loss-symptoms-causes-and-treatment\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss\/what-is-conductive-hearing-loss-symptoms-causes-and-treatment\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss\/what-is-conductive-hearing-loss-symptoms-causes-and-treatment\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"item\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/\",\"name\":\"Home\"}},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"item\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss\/what-is-conductive-hearing-loss-symptoms-causes-and-treatment\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss\/what-is-conductive-hearing-loss-symptoms-causes-and-treatment\/\",\"name\":\"What is Conductive Hearing Loss? Symptoms, Causes and Treatment\"}}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/#\/schema\/person\/3563fa3f05dc4a3ac5f50e2129b8b728\",\"name\":\"oliveAdmin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/#personlogo\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a5aea6df23699813e393582ab2687ad5?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"oliveAdmin\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=584"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1084,"href":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584\/revisions\/1084"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/834"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}