Understanding the human ear and how it works is not necessary for proper hearing. The functioning of the ear is totally automatic and subconscious. Sometimes, people with hearing loss may be frustrated by misunderstanding of their hearing loss. When asked to repeat themselves, some friends and family of the person with hearing loss may accuse the person of not listening.

Hearing loss is very different from a lack of attention to conversation. A basic understanding of the human ear, how it works, and hearing loss may help people understand the struggles of the person with hearing loss. Many times, the person experiencing hearing loss not only has to educate themselves about hearing and hearing loss, but also those people closest to them.

The person with hearing loss may want to start with knowing what type of hearing loss they have and the general cause of that hearing loss. If the person has conductive hearing loss, the transmission of sound from the external ear to the inner ear or auditory nerve is somehow blocked. The blockage could be from damage to the eardrum, a blockage of the ear canal, or a malfunction of the tiny bones of the middle ear.

Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by a malfunction of the inner ear or auditory nerve. The inner ear takes the sound vibrations from the middle ear and forms nerve messages that can be transferred to the auditory nerve and the brain.

Without the formation and transmission of these nerve messages to the brain, hearing cannot take place. Whether it is caused by a blockage of sound to the inner ear or the inability of the inner ear to send messages to the brain, the hearing loss decreases the person’s ability to hear.

Some hearing loss is medically treatable, but the person with the hearing loss cannot force themselves to concentrate and hear better. Certain factors can improve hearing ability, such as a decrease in background noise. The use of hearing aids is often beneficial for people with hearing loss. The use of hearing aids could also decrease the frustration in the personal relationships of the person with a hearing loss.