Osteogenesis imperfecta

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3. Types of hypoacusia

There are different types of hearing loss:

  • Transmitting hearing loss: affects the outer and/or middle ear. Sound waves are not transmitted correctly to the inner ear. It occurs when there is an obstruction of the external auditory canal or when the eardrum or the chain of ossicles of the middle ear is affected, or when the content of the tympanic box is liquid instead of air (as in the case of otitis).
  • Sensorineural hearing loss: occurs when the inner ear does not transmit nerve signals to the brain. It may affect the cochlea or the auditory nerve.
  • Mixed hearing loss: has both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss components.

The degree of hearing loss is classified according to the decibel loss in audiometry (according to BIAP - Bureau International d'AudioPhonologie):

  • Mild hearing loss: loss between 20 and 40 dB.
  • Moderate hearing loss: loss between 41 and 70dB
  • Severe hearing loss: loss between 71 and 90dB
  • Profound hearing loss: loss of more than 91dB

 

Grados de hipoacusia
Figure 3. Degrees of hearing loss according to decibels of hearing loss in audiometry (own source).

 

 

Last modified
30 August 2023