Single-sided hearing loss, also known as unilateral hearing loss (UHL) or single-sided deafness if the loss is profound, refers to hearing loss in only one ear. Approximately 7% of adults in the United States have UHL. Knowing the signs of UHL and seeking early treatment can help you manage your hearing loss for a clearer hearing life.
What Are the Signs of Single-Sided Hearing Loss?
Common signs of single-sided hearing loss include:
- Ringing in only one ear (tinnitus)
- Turning your head to hear with your “good ear”
- Favoring one ear when talking on the phone
- Trouble localizing sounds
- Trouble hearing speech in noisy environments like crowded dinners at Green Valley Grill
- Exhaustion from listening
Because single-sided hearing loss presents in only one ear, it may feel unnecessary to seek treatment. However, while your other ear may work well, common side effects of hearing loss, including exhaustion, social withdrawal and poor sound localization, can still affect you.
How Can You Manage Single-Sided Hearing Loss?
Because single-sided hearing loss presents in only one ear, it may feel unnecessary to seek treatment. However, while your other ear may work well, common side effects of hearing loss, including exhaustion, social withdrawal and poor sound localization, can still affect you.
Hearing aids are one excellent option for managing single-sided hearing loss. Following a hearing test, your audiologist will program your hearing aid based on your frequency needs, allowing you to hear noises you may otherwise have missed.
Although hearing aids are the most common treatments for single-sided hearing loss, other options may include:
- Cochlear implant. Cochlear implants pair a surgically implanted device with an external auditory processor to bypass the part of the inner ear causing difficulty hearing.
- Contralateral routing of signal (CROS) devices. CROS devices use two devices, one on either ear, including a hearing aid on your better hearing ear and a microphone on the ear with hearing loss. The microphone device picks up sound and sends it to your better-hearing ear. CROS devices do not help with localization but can help you understand sounds on your poorer hearing side.
- Bone conduction hearing system. Bone conduction hearing systems capture sound and send it through bone conduction vibrations to the better-hearing ear. Bone conduction hearing systems do not help with localizations but are often used when cochlear implants are not an option.
Single-sided hearing loss doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying the sounds around you. Contact All Generations Audiology, PLLC today to make an appointment with one of our specialists for a hearing test and treatment plan.