The general hearing loss categories used by most hearing professionals are as follows:  

_____Normal hearing (0 to 25 dB HL)

_____Mild hearing loss (26 to 40 dB HL)

_____Moderate hearing loss (41 to 70 dB HL)

_____Severe hearing loss (71 to 90 dB HL)

_____Profound hearing loss (greater than 91 dB HL)

TYPES OF HEARING LOSS:  

The external and the middle ear conduct and transform sound; the inner ear receives it. When there is a problem in the external or middle ear, a conductive hearing impairment occurs. When the problem is in the inner ear, a sensorineural or hair cell loss is the result. Difficulty in both the middle and inner ear results in a mixed hearing impairment (i.e. conductive and a sensorineural impairment). Central hearing loss has more to do with the brain than the ear, and will be discussed only briefly.

Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is not conducted efficiently through the ear canal, eardrum, or tiny bones of the middle ear, resulting in a reduction of the loudness of sound that is heard. Conductive losses may result from earwax blocking the ear canal, fluid in the middle ear, middle ear infection, obstructions in the ear canal, perforations (hole) in the eardrum membrane, or disease of any of the three middle ear bones.

A person with a conductive hearing loss may notice that their ears may seem to be full or plugged. This person may speak softly because they hear their own voice quite loudly. Crunchy foods, such as celery or carrots, sound very loud and this person may have to stop chewing to hear what is being said. All conductive hearing losses should be evaluated by an audiologist and a physician to explore medical and surgical options.

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Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type of hearing loss. More than 90 percent of all hearing aid wearers have sensorineural hearing loss. The most common causes of sensorineural hearing loss are age related changes and noise exposure. A sensorineural hearing loss may also result from disturbance of inner ear circulation, increased inner fluid pressure or from disturbances of nerve transmission. Sensorineural hearing loss is also called "cochlear loss," an "inner ear loss" and is also commonly called "nerve loss."

Years ago, many professionals said there was nothing that could be done for sensorineural hearing loss - that is totally incorrect today. There are many excellent options for the patient with sensorineural hearing loss.   A person with a sensorineural hearing loss may report that they can hear people talking, but they can't understand what they are saying. An increase in the loudness of speech may only add to their confusion. This person will usually hear better in quiet places and may have difficulty understanding what is said over the telephone.


Central hearing impairment occurs when auditory centers of the brain are affected by injury, disease, tumor, hereditary, or unknown causes. Loudness of sound is not necessarily affected, although understanding of speech, also thought of as the "clarity" of speech may be affected. Certainly both loudness and clarity may be affected too.

Hearing While illness, injury, overuse of certain drugs, and genetics can all lead to hearing loss, the primary reason most aging Americans go deaf is their past exposure to noise. With every noise that is loud or long enough, some of the 20,000 or so tiny hairs inside each ear that allow sound waves to be heard are permanently damaged, causing a gradual hearing loss that becomes noticeable in middle age and beyond. Some sound advice:

Plug 'em Wearing ear protection is the obvious way to protect these sensitive hair cells, but you don't have to look like an airport baggage handler while doing it. Small foam plugs that discreetly fit in your ear may actually be better than the bulky, padded earmuff types, says David Nielsen, M.D., of the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery. These plugs reduce noise by about 20 decibels compared with the 15-decibel protection you get from more expensive padded earmuffs. "Plus, the plugs are cooler," he points out.

Work out in silence Regular exercise keeps hearing sharp by improving or maintaining good blood flow to the inner ear. But during exercise, when more blood is feeding muscles, less may get to nerves that control hearing, making them more vulnerable to noise-caused damage. Some studies indicate that loud music or noise heard during exercise may be more damaging than noise heard at the same volumes when you're sedentary. Researchers are not unanimous about this, "but unless you need to listen to loud music while you exercise, you probably shouldn't," says Nielsen.

Don't be a blowhard Strenuous nose blowing can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss by rupturing the delicate structures inside the eardrum. To relieve nasal congestion, advises Nielsen, gently blow one nostril at a time.

Get screened If you have diabetes, you're more likely to suffer earlier and faster hearing loss, probably because of impeded blood flow to nerves that control hearing. "If you have diabetes in particular, you really should consider getting a yearly hearing test, just as you get annual tests for vision, kidney function, and other possible diabetes complications," says Nancy Vaughan, Ph.D., a researcher at the National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research in Portland, Oregon, who has investigated the diabetes-early-hearing-loss link. Those with high blood pressure or high cholesterol could also benefit from regular hearing screenings, she adds.