Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is not conducted through the outer ear. This usually results in a reduction in hearing ability, especially of faint or softer sounds. While sound is not transmitted through the outer ear to the eardrum, in most cases faint sounds can still be heard. Generally this condition can be improved by amplifying the sound loud enough for the eardrum to pick it up. This amplification is generally provided by a hearing aid.

Typical causes

Conductive hearing loss can occur for a number of reasons, including:

• Something lodged in the ear, usually a foreign body
• Earwax, dense and compacted
• Tympanic membrane perforation, maybe from illness or sudden air pressure changes
• Middle ear abnormalities
• Inner ear abnormalities
• Fluids in the middle ear as a result of colds and flu
• Ear infections

What to do

Visit your local or family doctor. They will diagnose and then either treat the condition or refer you on to an appropriate healthcare specialist. Do not stick things in your ear or try to treat yourself, there is the risk you will do more damage to your ear canal or eardrum as a result.