Conductive

hearing loss of aging

Presbycusis Audiology The progressive loss of high pitch auditory discrimination seen in advanced age, affecting ±50% of those > age 75. See Hearing loss.

Hearing loss types

Conductive HL caused by damage to any mechanical components of the ear, eg accumulation of cerumen, disruption of tympanic membrane, fusion of one or more middle ear ossicles; conductive HLs may be amenable to surgery

Sensorineural HL due to a defect in the neural pathways, which may be at the level of the cochlea, auditory nerve, or in the cerebral cortex Etiology Infections–especially intrauterine, eg rubella, drug toxicity, eg aminoglycosides, and tumors, eg acoustic neuroma

Mixed HL due to a combination of mechanical and neural defects Etiology Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy

McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.