APEA Pathophysiology EENT Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Test

Conductive hearing loss occurs when there is a problem conducting sound waves through the outer ear, tympanic membrane, or middle ear structures. A common cause of conductive hearing loss is otitis media, which is an infection or inflammation of the middle ear. This condition often leads to fluid accumulation behind the eardrum, which disrupts the normal movement of sound through the middle ear, resulting in a reduction in sound transmission to the inner ear.

In cases of otitis media, the buildup of fluid can affect the mobility of the ossicles (the small bones in the middle ear), preventing them from properly transmitting sound vibrations to the cochlea, leading to decreased auditory acuity.

In contrast, otosclerosis affects the bony structures of the middle ear, specifically the stapes, causing it to become immobilized, which is also a form of conductive hearing loss but is less common than otitis media. Acoustic neuroma, a benign tumor on the vestibulocochlear nerve, is associated with sensorineural hearing loss rather than conductive loss. Presbycusis refers to age-related hearing loss, which is typically sensorineural and affects the inner ear more than the conductile pathway. Hence, otitis media is frequently seen as