In order to fully understand what hearing loss is, it is necessary to understand the function of the hearing system.
The complete hearing system is responsible for our sense of hearing.
It picks up acoustic sound waves and transforms them into neural codes, which can be interpreted by the brain.
The hearing system consists of three main sections:
- The outer ear
- The middle ear
- The inner ear
When there is a damage to any part of the path that sound takes through the hearing system, hearing ability may be comprised.
Only certain
types of hearing loss can be treated with medicine or surgery, while most others will benefit from the use of
hearing aids.