Mixed hearing loss is a type of hearing loss that combines conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss. It occurs when sound transmission through the outer or middle ear is impaired and there is also damage or dysfunction affecting the inner ear or auditory nerve pathways.
Under normal hearing conditions, sound travels through the outer ear and middle ear to reach the inner ear, where the cochlea converts mechanical vibrations into electrical signals that travel to the brain. In mixed hearing loss, a problem affecting sound transmission is present alongside a sensorineural component involving the sensory structures of the inner ear or the auditory nerve pathways.
Possible causes include a combination of conditions, such as chronic middle-ear disease occurring alongside age-related hearing loss, or an abnormality of the middle ear occurring alongside noise-induced damage to the inner ear. The severity and pattern of hearing loss vary depending on the underlying conditions.
QUICK FACT
- Hearing tests commonly compare air conduction and bone conduction to help identify the conductive and sensorineural components of hearing loss.
- Treatment depends on the underlying causes and may involve medication or surgery for a treatable conductive component, hearing aids, or other appropriate hearing rehabilitation options.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
- Conductive hearing loss: Results from impaired sound transmission through the outer or middle ear, without an additional sensorineural component.
- Sensorineural hearing loss: Results from damage or dysfunction of the sensory structures of the inner ear or the auditory nerve pathways, rather than impaired sound transmission through the outer or middle ear.
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