Hearing loss affecting only one ear is known as unilateral hearing loss (UHL) or single-sided deafness if the case is severe. Although hearing loss in one ear may not sound like a big deal, it can significantly affect your ability to understand those around you, locate sounds, hear in loud or distracting environments and more. A few signs of UHL may include:
- Tinnitus (ringing in only one ear)
- Favoring one ear while using the phone
- Difficulty in determining the direction of sounds
- Struggling to follow conversations in noisy environments
- Fatigue or exhaustion from prolonged listening efforts
Seeking treatment is vital to mitigate the adverse effects of UHL on your overall well-being. Let’s explore UHL and its common causes and treatments.
How Common Is Unilateral Hearing Loss?
Approximately 60,000 people in the United States have UHL. Of those 60,000, an estimated 1 in 1,000 children is born with UHL, and the condition affects about 7% of adults.
Why Does Unilateral Hearing Loss Arise?
UHL present at birth, also called congenital hearing loss, may be due to causes including infections, premature birth, low birth weight, maternal diabetes, maternal hypertension, anoxia or genetics.
UHL that develops after birth may be caused by loud noise exposure (typically loud blasts or music in or immediately next to only one ear), acoustic neuromas (noncancerous tumors growing on the auditory nerve), otosclerosis (abnormal bone growth) and physical trauma to the ear canal
Treatment Options for Unilateral Hearing Loss
Input from both ears helps you separate speech and background noise in noisy places like Friday night dinners at Le Bledo. In addition to aiding speech comprehension, sound input from both ears helps you locate the direction of sound, which is especially helpful when someone calls you from far away.
One of the most common options for managing UHL is to wear a hearing aid. Your audiologist will program your hearing aid to increase the volume of incoming sounds. Depending on your needs, the hearing aid may amplify specific frequencies and sounds while suppressing others.
While a hearing aid is the most common treatment option, your audiologist may recommend a cochlear implant, contralateral routing of signal (CROS) device, bone conduction hearing system or frequency modulation system, depending on your hearing needs.
To learn more about managing your unilateral hearing loss, contact ENT Specialists Of Northern Virginia today to make an appointment with one of our specialists.