Hearing loss & correction
Hearing loss is very common. It can happen over time as you age, especially if you are exposed to a lot of loud noises. It can be caused by illnesses or injuries, or even as a side effect from using certain medications.
There are three kinds of hearing loss.
- Conductive Hearing Loss (CHL) happens when there is a problem with the outer or middle ear that blocks sound from traveling to your inner ear. Often this is caused by wax build-up, fluid in the ears, a perforated eardrum, or damage to the bones in your ears.
- Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SHL) happens when there is a problem in the inner ear that prevents sound from traveling to the cochlea or the auditory nerve. This can be caused by trauma, aging, disease, or being exposed to loud noise.
- Mixed Hearing Loss (MHL) is a combination of both.
If you have sudden hearing loss in one or both ears, sudden or ongoing dizziness or ear pain, or drainage from your ear, you should see your doctor.
Treatment
Your doctor will check your ears, and might order a hearing test. If you have hearing loss, your doctor will tell you what kind it is, and what options you have. Depending on the type of hearing loss, it can be treated with medication, surgery, hearing aids or a combination of these.
Our Physicians
Rex ENT Specialists can assess whether you have hearing loss, and we can help you figure out the next step. John A. Garside, M.D., specializes in treating hearing loss and other ear, nose and throat disorders. He works with experienced audiologist Michael Faulkner, Au.D., CCC-A to create a customized treatment plan for every individual patient.
Resources
If you think you might have hearing loss, take the quiz on Hearing Loss from the American Academy of Otolaryngology. In the “Health Information” section, click Ears and scroll down to Hearing Loss.
