Final answer:
Age-related hearing loss can occasionally be attributed to abnormalities in the tympanic membrane or ossicles. Conductive hearing loss involves problems with sound transmission in the middle ear, while sensorineural hearing loss involves damage in the inner ear. Hearing aids and cochlear implants can provide assistance for different types of hearing loss.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rarely, age-related hearing loss can be caused by abnormalities of the tympanic membrane or ossicles. Such abnormalities may include reduced function of the tympanic membrane (the eardrum) or reduced function of the ossicles in the middle ear that carry sound waves from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear. Conductive hearing loss occurs when there is a problem transferring sound waves through the outer ear, tympanic membrane, or middle ear. On the other hand, sensorineural hearing loss is associated with damage to the inner ear such as the cochlea's hair cells or the auditory nerve.
Hearing aids or cochlear implants can help compensate for hearing loss. Hearing aids send vibrations through the skull directly to the cochlea, which may be beneficial for conductive hearing loss. Cochlear implants are designed to stimulate the nerves directly when there is damage or loss of the cilia in the cochlea but the nerves remain functional.