Conductive Deafness

Conductive Deafness

            Conductive deafness is a form of hearing loss resulting from vibrations being unable to reach the receptors of the cochlea. Many of us have experienced this at some point for some short length of time.

 The most common form of conductive deafness is due to a buildup of cerumen, or earwax in the auditory canal. If this build up spans the entire breadth of the auditory canal, this can cause temporary loss of hearing in the effected ear. In most cases the blockage will pass with time, however in more severe cases removal may be necessary. Also common are external ear infections which can similar blockages of the auditory canal. Less common are other causes such as tumors, “surfers ear” (exostosis within the auditory canal) and

Conductive deafness can also result from problems with the tympanic membrane; perforation is a common form of this. Trauma, explosions, ridiculously loud noises or sever pressure changes all can result in ear drum perforation. In most cases the tympanic membrane will heal reasonably quickly, taking on average about a week. In some cases however surgical intervention may be necessary. After healing hearing will most likely return to fully normal. Dramatic pressure changes that are not quickly equalized can result in a temporary loss in hearing sensitivity as the tympanic membrane is pulled much tauter than usual and unable to freely vibrate.

In the middle ear fluid accumulation is a common form of conductive deafness, usually caused by some form of infection. This accumulation prevents the free movement of the ossicles and tympanic membrane drastically reducing hearing conductivity.

In most cases conductive deafness is treated easily, in the event of infections with antibiotics, blockages with removal, and in some cases, a special hearing aid designed to bypass the problem if it can not be safely removed.