If a crewmember has ear wax buildup in the ear canal combined with noise induced hearing loss, what type of hearing loss does this crewmember likely have?

The presence of both ear wax buildup in the ear canal and noise-induced hearing loss suggests that the crewmember is experiencing mixed hearing loss. Mixed hearing loss encompasses both conductive and sensorineural hearing losses. The ear wax buildup contributes to conductive hearing loss by obstructing sound from properly reaching the inner ear, leading to a decrease in the ability to hear soft sounds. On the other hand, noise-induced hearing loss typically represents sensorineural hearing loss, which results from damage to the inner ear structures or auditory nerve due to exposure to loud sounds.

In this scenario, the combination of ear wax, which interferes with sound conduction, and the damage caused by loud noise exposure results in a mixed hearing loss condition. This explains why the correct answer identifies this dual nature of the hearing impairment as mixed rather than isolating it to just one type.