Types of Hearing Loss
The ear has three parts: outer, middle and inner. Sound enters the ear through the ear canal (part of the outer ear), hits the eardrum (beginning of the middle ear) and shakes the three bones in the middle ear. These vibrations cause fluid in the inner ear to move, stimulating hair cells in the cochlea (the inner ear). The stimulated cells send impulses to the auditory nerve which finally reach the brain. Problems in any part of the ear can cause hearing loss. Types and degrees of hearing loss vary.