Causes of conductive hearing loss

Wax (cerumen)

When wax becomes impacted in the ear canal, it acts as an ear plug, blocking sound waves from striking the eardrum. Excessive wax may be softened with wax-softening drops and flushed out or removed by a physician or other trained personnel. Q-tips should never be used to remove impacted wax because they may push the wax deeper into the canal or puncture the eardrum if inserted too deeply.

Foreign objects

Small objects put in the ears, such as beads or food, can block sound or rupture an eardrum.

Swimmer's ear

This painful bacterial infection can cause the ear canal to swell shut, resulting in a temporary hearing loss, and occurs when the ear canal remains wet after bathing or swimming.

Otitis media (middle ear infection)

This is the most common cause of conductive hearing loss in children. Otitis media is a general term used to describe a variety of conditions affecting the middle ear. More than 85% of all children will have at least one ear infection in childhood. In fact, ear infections are second only to well-baby checks as the reason for office visits to a physician.

There are various forms and causes of otitis media. The single most frequent factor is infected adenoids which harbor bacteria or obstruct the Eustachian tube that connects the middle ear with the back of the nose (nasopharynx).

Ear infections also may result from upper respiratory infections or exposure to cigarette smoke. The two most common types of otitis media are acute otitis media and otitis media with effusion.

AcuteOtitis Media (AOM) - ear pain, fever, restlessness and some hearing loss are common symptoms of acute otitis media (suppurative otitis media). This type of ear infection may heal by itself or respond to antibiotics.

In some cases, acute otitis media may cause the ear drum to rupture, causing fluid drainage from the ear. If left untreated, it could lead to more severe middle or inner ear conditions.

Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) - (fluid) frequently follows an episode of acute otitis media. OME occurs when fluid remains in the middle ear, impeding ear drum vibrations and middle ear bone movement. This can cause mild-to-moderate degrees of hearing loss. In very young children, this hearing loss may hinder spoken language development.

The treatment of otitis media with effusion is controversial. Sometimes the infection heals on its own or with the help of antibiotics or myringotomy to drain the fluid, and other times it resists these conventional approaches. If the infection persists and hearing loss is present, ventilation or pressure equalizing (PE) tympanostomy tubes may be inserted to drain the fluid. These tubes can remain in the ear for several months or even years.

Tubes can restore hearing, prevent persistent fluid build-up, reduce the frequency of ear infections and prevent other serious ear complications.

Causes of sensorineural hearing loss

Sensorineural hearing loss can be caused during pregnancy, during delivery and after birth. It can also be inherited.

This type of hearing loss can often benefit from the right technology. There are now a wide array of options available.

If you are concerned that your child might have one of the above problems, you should seek the advice of a medical practitioner immediately.