When you or a loved one suffers a hearing loss, it is important to find out the cause of the hearing loss and the possible treatments. To understand how hearing loss occurs, it is important to understand how a person hears.

The ear is made up of three parts: the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. The outer ear directs the sound down a canal to the middle ear. The middle ear contains three bones, the anvil, hammer and stirrup, which begin to vibrate and move the sound to the inner ear. The inner ear is where the most important part of the ear, the cochlea, is located.

The cochlea is shaped like a snail shell and is filled with fluid and tiny hairs. The hairs in the cochlea vibrate and convert sound to electrical impulses that get transmitted to the brain along the hearing nerve.

Hearing loss can also be temporary or permanent. The ear, especially the middle and inner ear, can be damaged by head trauma, loud noise, infection, and the normal process of aging. The treatment available and the prognosis for the person are directly related to knowing the cause of the hearing loss.