What causes mixed hearing loss?

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Mixed hearing loss occurs when a patient experiences both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss simultaneously.1

Conductive hearing loss is caused by conditions in the outer or middle ear that prevent sound from being effectively conducted to the cochlea.1
Sensorineural hearing loss involves damage to the sensory transducer cells within the cochlea or, less frequently, issues with the neural pathways leading to the brain.1

In cases of mixed hearing loss, the auditory system is affected by both of these distinct mechanisms at the same time. While conductive components can often be addressed through surgery, sensorineural hearing loss is typically permanent. Audiologists distinguish these conditions by comparing air-conduction and bone-conduction thresholds to identify the presence of an air-bone gap.12