Hearing Loss

Sections

Causes

Hearing loss can come from changes to the ear, the nerves, or the brain. Sometimes all three are involved.

Main Types of Hearing Loss

Conductive Hearing Loss

This type happens when sound cannot move through the ear correctly. Some causes are:

  • Too much earwax, which a healthcare provider can find and remove
  • A foreign object in the ear (like the tip of a hearing aid)
  • Outer ear infections
  • Fluid in the middle ear from allergies or infections
  • Arthritis that affects the tiny bones in the ear
  • A hole in the eardrum

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

This type happens when the cells in the inner ear or the nerves stop working well. It is the most common type of hearing loss in older adults. Getting older is the main risk factor. Other risk factors include:

  • Being around loud noise
  • Diabetes
  • Heart disease
  • Smoking or exposure to certain drugs or chemicals

Mixed Hearing Loss

This type is a mix of both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.

 

Last Reviewed and Updated: October 2026 
By: AGS/HiAF Public Education Committee, HealthinAging.org Content Reviewers 

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