Hearing & tinnitus
Understanding the different types of hearing loss
"Hearing loss" is a word used for very different realities: mild difficulty following speech in a noisy room has nothing to do with severe, permanent hearing loss. Professionals actually distinguish three broad families of hearing loss, with very different causes and outlooks for recovery.
Knowing which family a hearing decline belongs to changes everything: some causes are reversible (a simple earwax blockage), others stabilize with the right protection, and others still require a hearing aid.
Quick answer
We distinguish conductive hearing loss (sound doesn't reach the inner ear properly — often reversible), sensorineural hearing loss (the inner ear or hearing nerve is affected — usually permanent), and mixed hearing loss, combining both. A hearing test (audiogram) tells them apart.
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Discover our earplugsWhat the science says
Michels T.C., Duffy M.T., Rogers D.J., American Family Physician, 2019
Clinical review for general practitioners
More than 30 million adults in the US, nearly 15% of the adult population, have some degree of hearing loss — a proportion reaching about half of people in their seventies, and 80% after age 85. The authors note that pure-tone audiometry differentiates conductive, sensorineural and mixed hearing loss.
Limitation: These figures concern the US adult population and a synthesis of existing literature, not an epidemiological study conducted in one homogeneous country — proportions may vary elsewhere.
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Discover our earplugsPractical tips
Conductive hearing loss
Sound is blocked before reaching the inner ear: earwax blockage, ear infection, otosclerosis, perforated eardrum. Often reversible or treatable medically or surgically.
Sensorineural hearing loss
The inner ear (cochlea) or hearing nerve is damaged. Common causes: aging (presbycusis), noise exposure, certain ototoxic medications. Usually permanent, but often well compensated with a hearing aid.
Mixed hearing loss
Combines a conductive and a sensorineural component in the same person — an audiogram helps sort out the share of each.
Presbycusis, the most common in adults
Progressive age-related hearing loss, affecting high-pitched sounds first. It evolves slowly, which makes it easy to underestimate for years.
The key role of the audiogram
This test, performed by an audiologist or ENT specialist, tells which family a hearing decline belongs to — an essential step before any treatment.
When to see an ENT specialist
Sudden, one-sided hearing loss, or hearing loss with dizziness or tinnitus, calls for prompt consultation rather than waiting it out.
Our earplugs
The one component of hearing loss you can actually act on preventively every day is noise exposure. Earplugs suited to each situation (sleep, concerts, DIY) remain one of the simplest ways to limit the worsening of noise-related sensorineural hearing loss.
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Discover our earplugsFrequently asked questions
Is hearing loss always permanent?+
No. Conductive hearing loss (for example from earwax blockage or an ear infection) is often temporary and reversible. It's mainly sensorineural hearing loss that's generally permanent.
At what age does presbycusis appear?+
It can start as early as your forties or fifties, very gradually, but often only becomes noticeable after 60-65, once difficulty with group conversations or phone calls sets in.
Can noise worsen any type of hearing loss?+
Noise specifically affects the inner ear and causes or worsens sensorineural hearing loss. It has no direct effect on conductive hearing loss linked, for example, to a mechanical middle-ear problem.
Do you need a hearing aid at the first signs?+
Not systematically — it depends on the type and degree of loss measured by the audiogram. A professional (ENT specialist or audiologist) can assess whether and when a hearing aid is useful.
Also worth reading
Scientific sources
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