Contents
Introduction
Hearing loss can be:
- Sensorineural
- Conductive
- Mixed
Hearing loss is quantified by audiological assessment and the production of an audiogram which quotes air and bone hearing thresholds in dB.
Sensorineural hearing loss
- pathology in cochlear or CN VIII
- commonly due to irreversible loss of hair cells on organ of Corti
- Permanent hearing loss
- Audiometry; loss in the high frequencies
Conductive hearing loss
- pathology in outer or middle ear
- Commonly responds to surgery
Comparison
Cause | Conductive hearing loss | Sensorineural hearing loss |
Congenital | Abnormalities of ossicles Atresia | Genetic Congenital rubella |
Acquired | Otitis externa Wax Foreign body Middle ear effusion Cholesteatoma Perforation otosclerosis | Perinatal hypoxic injury Perinatal jaundice Trauma; injury, surgery, noise exposure Chronic otitis media Measles Syphilis Ototoxic drugs; aminoglycacides and cytotoxics Acoustic neuroma Meniere’s disease |
History Taking
Taking a general hearing loss Hx | Taking a paediatric hearing loss Hx |
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