To determine the type of hearing loss, the audiologist is looking for the point in the auditory system where the loss is occurring

Types of hearing loss:

• conductive: a temporary or permanent hearing loss typically due to abnormal conditions of the outer and/or middle ear
• sensorineural: typically a permanent hearing loss due to disease, trauma, or inherited conditions affecting the nerve cells in the cochlea, the inner ear, or the eighth cranial nerve
• mixed: a combination of conductive and sensorineural components
• central auditory processing disorder: a condition where the brain has difficulty processing auditory signals that are heard