Which type of hearing loss is indicated by no air bone gaps?

The presence of no air-bone gaps in an audiogram typically indicates sensorineural hearing loss. In cases of sensorineural hearing loss, the bone conduction thresholds are equal to or nearly equal to the air conduction thresholds, reflecting that both pathways for sound transmission (air and bone) are functioning at similar levels but not at a normal threshold. This means that the issue lies within the inner ear or the auditory nerve rather than sound transmission being obstructed in the outer or middle ear, which is characteristic of conductive hearing loss.

In sensorineural hearing loss, the inner ear structures (like hair cells in the cochlea) are damaged or dysfunctional, leading to a diminished ability to hear and process sounds. The absence of air-bone gaps is a hallmark of this type of hearing impairment because it shows that sound conduction is not obstructed through the outer or middle ear, reinforcing the diagnosis of a problem within the sensory or neural pathways.