Date Published: 05/09/2025
Last Updated: 09/06/2026
Author: Beverly Carter, RHAD
Types of hearing loss: what they are and what you can do
Around one in six people in the UK experience some degree of hearing loss, making it one of the most common conditions affecting daily life.
If you’ve recently had a hearing test, or you’re noticing changes in your hearing and trying to make sense of them, understanding the different types of hearing loss is a useful starting point.
This guide covers the three main types, what causes them, how they’re identified, and what options are available to help. It’s written to give you a clearer picture, not to replace the advice of a qualified audiologist or your GP.
If you’d like to talk through your hearing test results or explore hearing aid options, our qualified UK audiologists are happy to help. The consultation is free, and there’s no obligation.
The three main types of hearing loss
Hearing loss is generally categorised into three types: sensorineural, conductive, and mixed. Each has different causes, different characteristics, and different implications for how it’s managed. Your hearing test results and your audiologist’s assessment will identify which type applies to you.
Sensorineural hearing loss
Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is by far the most common type, accounting for around 90% of cases. It occurs when there is damage to the hair cells in the inner ear (the cochlea) or to the auditory nerve that carries sound signals to the brain.
Once damaged, these hair cells don’t regenerate, which means sensorineural hearing loss is typically permanent.
The most common cause is the natural ageing process, which gradually affects the cochlea’s ability to process sound across certain frequencies, particularly higher ones.
Other causes include:
- Prolonged or sudden exposure to loud noise, whether through work, music, or a single intense sound event
- Head trauma affecting the cochlea or auditory nerve
- Certain viral infections
- Some medications that are toxic to the inner ear
- Genetic factors present from birth
Common signs of sensorineural hearing loss:
- Finding it hard to follow conversations, particularly when there’s background noise
- Feeling like people are mumbling even when they aren’t
- Frequently asking people to repeat themselves
- Struggling in group conversations or meetings
- Finding the TV or phone volume that satisfies you feels too loud to others
- Noticing difficulty hearing higher-pitched sounds such as birdsong or a doorbell
What can help
Sensorineural hearing loss cannot be reversed, but it can be managed very effectively with well-programmed hearing aids.
Modern premium hearing aids are designed specifically to address the pattern of frequency loss that sensorineural hearing loss typically produces, amplifying the sounds you find most difficult while maintaining natural overall sound quality.
If your hearing loss is severe to profound, a cochlear implant may be discussed by your audiologist or ENT specialist. This is a surgical option provided through the NHS or private medical channels and is outside the scope of hearing aid provision.
The NHS and RNID both provide detailed information on cochlear implants if this applies to your situation.
Reducing the risk of noise-induced SNHL
- Follow the 60/60 rule when using headphones: no more than 60% volume for no longer than 60 minutes at a time
- Wear ear protection in noisy workplaces or at loud events. Concerts typically reach 100 to 120 decibels; anything above 85 decibels can cause damage over time
- Have your hearing tested regularly, particularly if you work in a noisy environment
Conductive hearing loss
Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is unable to pass efficiently through the outer or middle ear to reach the inner ear. Unlike sensorineural hearing loss, it is often temporary and in many cases treatable by a GP or ENT specialist.
Common causes include:
- A build-up of earwax blocking the ear canal
- Ear infections (otitis media), which can cause fluid to accumulate behind the eardrum
- Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa), an infection of the outer ear canal
- A perforated eardrum
- Otosclerosis, a condition where abnormal bone growth in the middle ear affects sound transmission
- Glue ear, which is particularly common in children
Common signs of conductive hearing loss:
- Sounds seem muffled or quieter than usual in one or both ears
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear
- Your own voice sounding different to you
- Sounds becoming clearer when there is background noise (a characteristic that can distinguish conductive from sensorineural loss)
What can help
Because conductive hearing loss often has a treatable underlying cause, the first step is always a visit to your GP. Earwax can be removed professionally, infections can be treated with medication, and some structural causes can be addressed surgically.
Where conductive hearing loss is ongoing or cannot be fully resolved medically, hearing aids can provide effective amplification to compensate. Your audiologist will advise on whether a hearing aid is appropriate and which style would suit your specific pattern of loss.
Mixed hearing loss
Mixed hearing loss is exactly what it sounds like: a combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss occurring in the same ear. This means there is both a problem in the outer or middle ear and damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve.
Because mixed hearing loss has two components, its management is also two-part. The conductive element may be treatable by a GP or specialist, while the sensorineural element is typically managed with well-programmed hearing aids.
Your audiologist or ENT specialist will assess the contribution of each element and advise on the most appropriate course of action.
How hearing loss is measured
When you have a hearing test, your results are recorded on a chart called an audiogram. It shows how well you hear at different pitches and how loud a sound needs to be before you can pick it up clearly.
The results are used to describe how much hearing loss you have, from mild at one end of the scale through to profound at the other. Here’s what each level generally means in practice:
- Mild: 26 to 40 dB loss. Soft speech and background noise are typically where mild hearing loss shows up most. In a quiet room with one person, you’re likely to follow without much difficulty.
- Moderate: 41 to 55 dB loss. Day-to-day conversation becomes harder to follow comfortably without some help. Most people at this level notice a real difference when wearing well-programmed hearing aids.
- Moderately severe: 56 to 70 dB loss. You may struggle to follow speech even in quiet settings without a hearing aid.
- Severe: 71 to 90 dB loss. You may rely significantly on hearing aids or other support.
- Profound: 91 dB or more. Very limited hearing without significant amplification or other intervention.
Most hearing aids are designed to address mild to profound hearing loss, with the right model depending on the degree and pattern of loss shown in your audiogram.
At The Hearing Shop, every hearing aid is programmed to your specific audiogram results by one of our qualified UK audiologists before it’s dispatched.
Hearing aids for all types of hearing loss at The Hearing Shop
Whatever type of hearing loss you experience, if a hearing aid has been recommended or you’d like to explore whether one could help, our qualified UK audiologists are here to help you find the right model based on your hearing test results and lifestyle.
We stock hearing aids from all the leading brands, including Phonak, Resound, Signia, and Rexton, at up to 60% less than the high street.
Every hearing aid is programmed to your personal audiogram before it’s dispatched, with remote fine-tuning included as standard and no clinic visit needed at any stage.
Our 60-day free returns policy means you can try your hearing aids at home with complete peace of mind.
Get in touch with us about hearing loss types and how hearing aids can help you
If you have questions about your hearing test results or would like to explore which hearing aids might suit your type and degree of hearing loss, our qualified UK audiologists are happy to help.
Contact us free, at The Hearing Shop, on 0808 208 5154 to speak with one of our audiologists who can help support and advise you on your hearing loss journey. Alternatively, you can fill in our quick form here and select the best time and day to be contacted.
✒️Written and Updated by Beverley Carter, HCPC-Registered RHAD (HAD01644)
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