This occurs when the external and middle ear can no longer conduct sound into the inner ear. One of the most common causes of conductive hearing loss is blockage in the external ear canal, typically caused by earwax buildup or infection. Most cases are temporary and can be corrected with proper medical treatment.

Often successfully treated with hearing aids, this type of hearing loss may result from:

• damage to the sensory cells or nerve fibers of the inner ear
• exposure to diseases like mumps, meningitis, multiple sclerosis or Ménière's disease
• use of certain drugs like aspirin, cisplatin, quinine or the antibiotics streptomycin and gentamicin
• your mother contracting rubella (German measles) during pregnancy
• low birth weight
• genetics
• head or ear injuries

This is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. This type of loss may be successfully treated with a combination of medical assistance and use of a hearing device.