Definition

This type of hearing loss occurs when there is an obstruction or damage to the outer or middle ear that prevents sound from being conducted to the inner ear. Conductive hearing loss is less common and may be temporary or permanent, depending on the cause.

Cause

The causes of conductive hearing loss can be defined by which part of the ear they affect, i.e., either the outer ear or the middle ear.

Outer Ear

  • A narrowing of the ear canal, called Stenosis
  • A blockade due to wax or a foreign body
  • Bony growths that can develop inside the ear canal and cause potential cause blockages, called Exostoses
  • An infection of the outer ear called Otitis externa (also known as “Swimmer’s ear”)
  • Malformation of the outer part of the ear (pinna) is called Microtia
  • Absence of the ear canal is called Atresia

  • A perforation/hole in the ear drum caused by an injury, ear infections or extreme and rapid air pressure changes
  • A thickening of the tympanic membrane due to scarring, called Tympanosclerosis
  • An ear infection and/or a build-up of fluid in the middle ear space, called Otitis Media
  • Blockages in the Eustachian tube (a narrow tube which connects the middle ear to the back of the nose and throat)
  • A defect of the tiny hearing bones of the middle ear, resulting in Otosclerosis
  • Abnormal growths that form within the middle ear, such as a Cholesteatoma
  • A break in the connection between the bones of the middle ear, caused by injury or heavy trauma called Ossicular chain discontinuity

Symptoms

A patient who suffers from a conductive hearing loss has difficulty with the overall loudness of sounds, but not the clarity. They often find that turning up the volume of the television or radio is all it takes to hear better. Patients sometimes report the following:

  • They have a “good ear” and a “bad ear”
  • Pain in one or both ears
  • A sensation of pressure or fullness in one or both ears
  • Difficulty hearing on the phone
  • Their own voice echoes in their head when they talk
  • A smelly discharge coming from the ear canal
  • Something rattling in their ear or scratching on their ear drum

Treatment

In some people, conductive hearing loss may be reversed through medical or surgical intervention. For example, conductive losses caused by wax, foreign objects, abnormal growths, or ear infections can often be corrected with medical treatments, like wax micro-suctioning, antibiotics, or surgical procedures.

Conductive hearing losses caused by other abnormalities, like stenosis of the ear canal, exostoses, otosclerosis and ossicular chain discontinuity are more difficult to treat medically and may be considered a permanent hearing loss. These conductive losses may be treated with either standard hearing aids or bone-anchored implantable devices.