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Types of Hearing Loss

Read this page and click on the links below to learn about the different kinds of hearing loss.

There are different kinds of hearing loss.

Conductive hearing loss is when sound can't reach your inner ears.
Sensorineural hearing loss is when the cochlea or the auditory nerve isn't working.
Mixed hearing loss is when there is both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.

Another way of talking about different types of hearing loss is by how a person hears.

Unilateral hearing loss is when hearing loss is only in 1 ear.
Progressive hearing loss is when the hearing loss gets worse over time.
Fluctuating hearing loss is when the hearing loss changes. It may sometimes be worse and sometimes better.

Some other types of hearing loss don't fit any of these groups.

Auditory neuropathy is when the cochlea works but there is something wrong with the auditory nerve. This hearing loss can be very confusing.
Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) is when there's something wrong with how your child's brain interprets the signals it gets from the ear.