What are the characteristics of conductive hearing loss?

Conductive hearing loss is characterized by issues that interfere with the transmission of sound through the outer and middle ear structures. This type of hearing loss often occurs when sound waves are obstructed before reaching the inner ear, which is crucial for sound perception. Factors that can cause conductive hearing loss include fluid in the middle ear, ear infections, perforations of the eardrum, or abnormalities in the ear's structures such as earwax buildup or ossicular chain dysfunction.

Understanding this type of hearing loss is important because it is often treatable or reversible, unlike some forms of sensorineural hearing loss that result from damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve pathways. Therefore, the focus on the outer and middle ear in the correct choice highlights the primary issue at hand for conductive hearing loss, distinguishing it from other forms related to inner ear damage or age-related hearing degeneration.