Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is not conducted efficiently through the outer ear canal to the eardrum and the tiny bones, or ossicles, of the middle ear. Conductive hearing loss involves a reduction in sound level, or the ability to hear faint sounds. This type of hearing loss can often be medically or surgically corrected.
There can be several reasons for conductive hearing loss including:
Tympanic perforation is a tear in the eardrum, establishing a connection between the middle and external ear. Symptoms usually include pain, bleeding or discharge, ringing of the ears (tinnitus), and hearing loss. Trauma, infection, and pressure are the most common causes. The majority of traumatic TM perforations heal spontaneously in a few days to several months. However, if there are persistent infections, or the TM perforations do not heal on their own, surgery is recommended.
Otosclerosis is a disease of ear bone change from hard, mineralized bone to spongy, immature bone tissue. This build up of excess bone prevents the middle ear bones from vibrating normally. Symptoms include slow hearing loss, tinnitus, or the sensation of noise in the ear. While it is unknown why a patient may develop ostosclerosis, it does run in families. Medical treatment will be recommended by your doctor to try and stop the build up of bone in the inner ear. If medical treatment does not cause an improvement in your symptoms, surgery may be recommended by your doctor.