What Are the Different Types of Hearing Loss?

🧠 Not all hearing loss is the same.

Some people lose clarity. Others lose volume. Some can’t hear certain pitches. Others struggle in noise but hear fine in quiet rooms.

The type of hearing loss you have determines:

What’s causing the problem
How it might change over time
Whether it can be treated medically, with hearing aids, or both

There are three main types of hearing loss — and understanding the difference is key to getting the right care.

1️⃣ Sensorineural Hearing Loss

This is the most common type of hearing loss.

It happens when the inner ear (cochlea) or the auditory nerve is damaged. That damage prevents sound signals from reaching the brain correctly.

💬 What it feels like:

You hear people talking, but it’s blurry or unclear
Conversations are hard to follow in noisy places
You need subtitles, even when the volume is high enough

🔎 Causes may include:

Aging (presbycusis)
Noise exposure (concerts, machines, earbuds)
Certain medications (ototoxic drugs)
Genetics
Head trauma or inner ear disorders

✅ Treatment:

Sensorineural hearing loss is usually permanent, but very treatable with hearing aids. These devices help improve clarity and sharpness — especially in challenging environments.

2️⃣ Conductive Hearing Loss

This type happens when sound can’t reach the inner ear effectively.

Something is blocking, damaging, or disrupting the outer or middle part of the ear.

💬 What it feels like:

Like your ear is plugged, full, or underwater
A sudden drop in hearing after a cold, allergy, or swim
You may hear your own voice loudly (occlusion)

🔎 Causes may include:

Earwax buildup
Ear infections or fluid
Eardrum damage
Abnormal bone growth or tumors

✅ Treatment:

Conductive hearing loss is often temporary or reversible. Medical treatment, minor procedures, or assistive devices can often restore normal hearing.

3️⃣ Mixed Hearing Loss

This is exactly what it sounds like — a combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss in the same ear.

💬 What it feels like:

A blend of the symptoms above
Muffled sound with poor clarity, especially if untreated over time

🔎 Causes may include:

Long-term hearing loss combined with new infections, earwax, or injury
Chronic ear conditions layered over aging-related loss

✅ Treatment:

A mix of medical treatment (to address conductive causes) and hearing aids (for the sensorineural portion) is typically recommended.

🩺 How Do I Know Which Type I Have?

The only way to know for sure is with a professional hearing exam.
At Clarity, our hearing test includes:

Air and bone conduction testing

Tympanometry (middle ear movement)

Word recognition and speech-in-noise testing

A full explanation in plain English

You’ll leave knowing what kind of hearing loss you have (if any) — and what that means for your daily life.

✅ What Happens Next?

Whether your hearing loss is permanent, temporary, mild, or mixed — we’re here to help you make sense of it.

You’ll never be pressured to buy anything. We’ll simply walk you through the results and, if needed, help you explore what comes next.

👉 Book Your Free Hearing Exam
👉 Go Back to “What Is Hearing Loss?”
👉 Continue to: How Do Hearing Aids Work?