What are common causes of conductive hearing loss?

Conductive hearing loss occurs when there is an issue in the outer or middle ear that prevents sound waves from being transmitted to the inner ear effectively. The identified causes in the chosen response, such as earwax blockage, fluid in the middle ear, or a perforated eardrum, are common and well-recognized contributors to this type of hearing loss.

Earwax blockage can obstruct the ear canal, preventing sound from reaching the eardrum. Fluid in the middle ear, often resulting from infections or allergies, can dampen sound transmission through the ossicles (the tiny bones in the middle ear). A perforated eardrum can impede the movement necessary for hearing and may be caused by infection or trauma. Since all these factors directly relate to the mechanical transmission of sound, they are essential in understanding conductive hearing loss.

The other options involve causes of hearing loss that primarily affect the inner ear or involve neurological aspects, which are more characteristic of sensorineural hearing loss rather than conductive hearing loss. Thus, the answer accurately identifies the common causes linked to the mechanical aspect of hearing.