What type of hearing loss is a result of infections or trauma?

The correct answer is conductive loss, which refers to a type of hearing loss that occurs when sound waves cannot effectively travel through the outer ear canal to the eardrum and the tiny bones of the middle ear. This type of hearing loss can often result from infections, such as otitis media (middle ear infections), as well as trauma that affects the structures of the ear.

In the case of infections, the fluid build-up and inflammation can hinder sound transmission. Traumatic injuries to the ear, whether they involve the outer, middle, or inner ear, can disrupt the normal pathway that sound takes to reach the auditory nerve, thereby leading to conductive hearing loss. Typically, this type of hearing loss can be temporary and may often be treated with medical intervention.

The other types of hearing loss mentioned have distinct causes that are unrelated to infections or trauma. Sensorineural loss is primarily caused by damage to the inner ear or the auditory nerve, often due to aging, exposure to loud sounds, or certain diseases. Temporary threshold shift is a short-term reduction in hearing sensitivity, often resulting from exposure to loud sounds, whereas noise-induced hearing loss refers specifically to permanent damage occurring from prolonged exposure to loud noise. Understanding these distinctions is essential for accurately identifying the underlying causes