What causes hearing loss?

• “There are many reasons why a person may not be able to hear. Hearing loss can run in some families, or a baby may be born with a problem with how the ear formed. Other causes of hearing loss include:
  • serious infections, such as meningitis
  • head injury
  • listening to very loud music, especially through headphones or ear buds
  • being around loud sounds over and over
  • Ear infections and fluid behind the eardrum can cause hearing loss. When the infection goes away, hearing gets better.” source

What kinds of hearing loss are there? 

• “Conductive (say: kun-DUK-tiv) hearing loss. This happens when something blocks sound from going to the inner ear. Ear infections, ear wax buildup, and problems with the tiny bones of the middle ear are common causes of this type of hearing loss.  
• Sensorineural (say: sen-suh-ree-NUR-ul) hearing loss. This happens when there is a problem in the inner ear or with the connection from the inner ear to the brain. This can happen when the tiny hair cells in the cochlea or the hearing nerve are damaged. 
• Mixed hearing loss. This happens when a person has both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.
• Central hearing loss. This happens when the inner ear is working properly, but parts of the brain are not.” source