Loss of hearing: exploring symptoms and treatments

Dealing with mixed hearing loss can be daunting, as those with the condition often experience difficulty understanding sounds and speech, and what they can hear is likely to be very quiet. From common causes and symptoms to treatment options, Boots Hearingcare explores everything you need to know.

What is mixed hearing loss?

Mixed hearing loss is a combination of both conductive hearing loss (which affects the outer ear, ear canal, and middle ear) and sensorineural hearing loss (damage to the inner ear or hearing nerve), and can affect either one or both ears. It can range from mild to profound and, as the inner and outer ear are damaged, both hearing and processing sound is difficult.

Mixed hearing loss symptoms

Mixed hearing loss causes symptoms that are a combination of symptoms for both conductive hearing loss (CHL) and sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Common symptoms may include:

• Inability to hear people clearly and fully

• Trouble understanding conversations in noisy environments

• Feeling pressure or discomfort in your ears

• An inability to distinguish quiet sounds

• A noticeable difference in hearing with each ear

• Hearing your own voice differently

• Certain sounds seeming overly loud in one ear

• Problems following conversations between two or more people

• Other people’s voices sounding muffled or slurred

• Feeling dizzy or off-balance

• Tinnitus

Mixed hearing loss causes

The most common cause of mixed hearing loss is head trauma, however, the condition can also develop over time. As mixed hearing loss is a combination of both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss, it can be caused by a range of reasons and conditions, including:

• Ageing

• Genetic factors

• Malformation of the inner, outer or middle ear

• Ear infection

• Illness

• Reactions to certain drugs

• Perforated eardrums

• Impacted earwax

• Fluid in the middle ear

Mixed hearing loss treatment

Treatment for mixed hearing loss can be difficult as both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss are present. This means that treatment has to focus on each type of loss separately and will depend on whether the loss is more sensorineural or conductive.

It’s helpful to break down the various treatment options by the type of hearing loss:

Treating conductive hearing loss

Generally, conductive hearing loss will be treated first, as some types of conductive hearing loss can be corrected with the use of hearing aids. Other treatment options include:

• Cleaning: removing any earwax buildup or foreign objects within your ear can improve your hearing

• Medicines: if a chronic ear infection is causing conductive hearing loss, prescribing antibiotics or antifungal medications can help

• Surgery: if the conductive hearing loss is caused by a tumour or blockage, surgery may be necessary to remove it and restore hearing

Treating sensorineural hearing loss

As sensorineural hearing loss is generally permanent, it’s much more difficult to treat. However, there are a number of options available:

• Hearing aids or cochlear implants: to amplify quieter sounds, wearing hearing aids or having cochlear implants can help those with hearing loss to understand speech. They can also restore or improve hearing ability

• Surgery: if the hearing loss is caused by trauma to the head, then surgery may be needed to correct it

• Medications: if the hearing loss is a symptom of a disease or infection, then treatment for that specific disease may reverse or restore the hearing loss