What are the first signs of hearing loss?

Hearing loss often starts slowly. You may find yourself asking people to repeat things, turning the TV up higher than before, or struggling to follow conversations in restaurants and other noisy places. Speech may also start to sound less clear, especially higher-pitched voices or certain words.

Is hearing loss permanent?

Not all instances of hearing loss are permanent. Some hearing loss can be temporary. Problems caused by earwax, fluid, or certain middle-ear conditions may improve once the underlying issue is treated. Hearing loss caused by damage to the inner ear or hearing nerve is more often permanent, though treatment can still make hearing and communication easier.

Why can I hear sounds but have trouble understanding speech?

Hearing loss can make speech sounds harder to distinguish, so you can hear someone talking but miss parts of what they are saying. This is often more noticeable when there is background noise.

When should I see an ENT for hearing loss?

It is a good idea to see an ENT when hearing changes do not go away, one ear is noticeably worse than the other, or hearing problems come with symptoms such as ear pain, drainage, dizziness, or ringing in the ears. An ENT can check for medical problems that may be affecting your hearing.

Hearing Loss

Q: What causes hearing loss?

Common causes and symptoms of hearing loss include aging, repeated noise exposure, earwax, ear infections, certain medications, and problems involving the eardrum, middle ear, or inner ear. Finding the cause helps determine what type of treatment may be useful.

Q: How is hearing loss diagnosed?

The first step is usually an ear exam and a discussion of what you have been noticing. Hearing testing measures how well you hear different sounds and how clearly you understand speech. Hearing loss or tinnitus should be evaluated with definitive audiological testing. We offer on-site audiological testing, which can be done on the same day of service. The results can help show the type and degree of hearing loss and whether more testing is needed.

Hearing loss can happen gradually over many years or appear more suddenly. You may notice that people seem to mumble, conversations are harder to follow in noisy places, or the television needs to be louder than it used to be. Some people experience hearing loss in one ear, while others have changes in both ears.

Hearing loss affects approximately 20% of Americans and can be present at birth, develop in childhood, or occur later in life. Age is one common cause, but hearing can also be affected by loud noise, earwax, ear infections, problems with the middle or inner ear, certain medications, and other medical conditions.

At WNY ENT, our physicians and audiology team evaluate hearing changes and provide on-site hearing testing to help determine the type and degree of hearing loss.

Common Signs of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is not always obvious at first. In many cases, it develops gradually enough that family members notice the change before the person experiencing it does. Common signs include:

Asking people to repeat themselves
Difficulty understanding conversations in restaurants or other noisy places
Turning the TV, radio, or phone volume up higher
Feeling that people are mumbling
Missing parts of conversations
Difficulty hearing higher-pitched voices
Ringing or buzzing in the ears (tinnitus)
Hearing better in one ear than the other
Avoiding conversations or social situations because hearing has become difficult

What Causes Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss can develop for many reasons. Some causes affect the ear canal or middle ear, while others involve the inner ear or hearing nerve. Common causes include:

Age-related hearing loss
Hearing often changes gradually as we get older. Age-related hearing loss commonly affects both ears and may make speech harder to understand, particularly when there is background noise.
Noise exposure
Repeated exposure to loud machinery, music, firearms, explosions, power tools, or other loud sounds can permanently damage hearing. Noise-related hearing loss may develop slowly or occur suddenly after an extremely loud sound.
Earwax buildup
Earwax can block the ear canal and temporarily reduce hearing.
Ear infections or fluid behind the eardrum
Fluid and inflammation can interfere with sound traveling through the middle ear.
Changes involving the eardrum or middle-ear bones
Damage, stiffness, or other problems affecting the eardrum or the tiny bones of the middle ear can make it harder for sound to travel normally into the inner ear. (See Ossicular chain reconstruction, Canalplasty, Tympanoplasty and Stapedectomy)

Types of Hearing Loss

Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound has difficulty traveling through the outer or middle ear. Earwax, fluid, infection, eardrum problems, or abnormalities of the middle ear can sometimes cause this type of hearing loss.

Depending on the cause, conductive hearing loss may improve with medical or surgical treatment. Ossicular chain reconstruction may reduce symptoms associated with conductive hearing loss caused by middle ear damage.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sensorineural hearing loss involves the inner ear or hearing nerve. Aging and long-term noise exposure are two common causes. This type of hearing loss is often permanent, although hearing aids and other hearing devices may help.

Mixed Hearing Loss

Mixed hearing loss includes both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.

How Is Hearing Loss Diagnosed?

Evaluation typically begins with a discussion of your symptoms and a physical examination of the ears. The physician can look for problems such as earwax, infection, fluid, or changes involving the eardrum.

A hearing evaluation can then measure several parts of your hearing, including how well you hear different pitches and volumes and how clearly you understand speech. The results help determine:

Whether hearing loss is present
How much hearing has been affected
Whether one or both ears are involved
The pattern of hearing loss
Whether the problem appears to involve the outer, middle, or inner ear

Audiometric testing evaluates factors such as hearing thresholds across frequencies, whether one or both ears are affected, and speech-recognition ability.

On-Site Hearing Testing at WNY ENT

WNY ENT offers on-site audiological testing, allowing many patients to have their ears examined and their hearing evaluated during the same visit.

How Is Hearing Loss Treated?

Treatment depends on the type and cause of hearing loss. Some problems can be treated medically. Removing impacted earwax, treating an infection, or addressing fluid or another middle-ear condition may improve hearing. Permanent inner-ear hearing loss may be managed with hearing aids or other hearing devices. More severe hearing loss may require additional evaluation to determine whether other options are appropriate.

The goal of the evaluation is to identify the cause of the hearing problem before deciding what type of treatment makes sense.

Don’t Ignore Changes in Your Hearing

If conversations are becoming harder to follow, sounds seem muffled, or one ear is not hearing as well as the other, it may be time for an evaluation. WNY ENT provides ear, nose and throat care and on-site hearing testing throughout Western New York. Call today and schedule a same-day appointment or schedule online.

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