A conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is not transmitted efficiently at some point along the pathway from the outer ear canal to the oval window. The oval window separates the middle ear from the inner ear. This pathway includes the eardrum (tympanic membrane and the three, small bones (ossicles) of the middle ear. A conductive hearing loss usually involves a reduction in sound level or the ability to hear faint sounds.
- Fluid in the middle ear
- Ear infection (otitis media)
- Allergies (serous otitis media)
- Exostoses (bony growths in the ear canal)
- Poor eustachian tube function
- Perforated eardrum
- Benign tumors
- Impacted earwax (cerumen)
- Infection in the ear canal (external otitis)
- Swimmer’s Ear (otitis externa)
- A foreign body in the outer ear canal
- Absence or malformation of the outer ear, ear canal, or middle ear
A conductive hearing loss is often treated medically or surgically. However, in cases where medical or surgical intervention is not appropriate, individual’s with a conductive hearing loss may be a candidate for hearing aids. Because a conductive hearing loss typically impacts just the volume of sound and not the clarity of sound, individuals with a conductive hearing loss, who use hearing aids, generally adapt very quickly to their hearing aids. Call our office at 617-332-7244 to make an appointment.
