Everyone knows what hearing is. Hearing loss, or deafness, is the partial or total inability to hear sound in one or both ears. The human ear is remarkable as is the smallest and most complex organ in the body. Considering the ear's delicacy, it is remarkably resilient. Nevertheless, illness or injury can impair our ability to hear properly.

It is possible that someone who has hearing loss may be able to hear some sounds or simply nothing at all. Often people also call it deaf, deafness, or hard of hearing when they're talking about hearing loss.

It has been observed that out of 1000 babies born, three may have hearing impairment. This is the most common birth defect. Although there is a possibility that hearing problem can also develop later in life, there are many types of hearing loss:

1. Conductive hearing loss: it is a problem with the part of the outer or middle ear. Most patients with conductive hearing loss have a mild hearing loss and it is usually temporary because in most cases medical treatment can help. It could be when one has middle ear infections, collection of fluid in the middle, blockage of the outer ear (by wax), damage to the eardrum by infection or an injury.

2. Sensory hearing loss: This happens when the cochlea is not working correctly because the tiny hair cells are damaged or destroyed. Depending on the loss, a patient may be able to hear most sounds (although they would be silent); only some sounds; or no sounds at all. Sensory hearing impairment is almost always permanent and a patient