Conductive hearing loss is characterized by faulty transmission of sound from the outer to the inner ear. In adults, the most common cause of conductive hearing loss is compacted earwax blocking the outer ear canal.

Central hearing loss results from impairment of the certain nerves or nuclei (NUKE-lee-eye) of the central nervous system. This form of hearing impairment is seen most often in elderly people with degenerative nerve conditions associated with aging.

According to the American Medical Association, sensorineural (SINSOR-NYURAL) damage is the single largest form of hearing loss, affecting 17 million Americans, including every one in one thousand babies.