Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
Conductive Hearing Loss
Overview
A loss of hearing in one or both ears that occurs when sound cannot reach the inner ear due to a problem of the outer or middle ear.
This can happen gradually or suddenly. If suddenly, it is a medical emergency. Patients with sudden hearing loss should seek urgent evaluation in clinic or in an emergency room.
Patient Story
Silencing the Sounds in Her Head
Maryjane spent years trying to ignore clicking sounds in her head. She had seen three ear, nose and throat specialists, and none of them seemed to know why she heard nearly constant clicking (or sometimes crunching) sounds that were so loud she’d wake up in the middle of the night.
Read more5Common Symptoms
- Difficulty hearing speech
- Pressure in one or both ears
- Pain in one or both ears
- Easier to hear out of one ear than the other
- A sense that your own voice sounds different
Diagnosis and Treatment
If conductive hearing loss is found through an examination and audiogram, then the doctors will work to determine and solve the underlying problem. Many causes of conductive hearing loss may be surgically addressed. Some patients benefit from the use of hearing devices such as hearing aids.
Meet Our Team
Our Hearing and Balanceteam is comprised of some of the world’s finest ear surgeons, skull base surgeons, balance disorder specialists and audiologists.
