Hearing Loss in One Ear

Do you experience difficulty hearing in one ear? Do you have to sit next to your friend with your 'good ear' to participate in a conversation? It is possible to have hearing loss in one ear. Hearing loss in one ear is known as unilateral hearing loss or single-sided deafness, depending on the severity of the hearing loss. People can be born with unilateral hearing loss or develop it later as a child or adult. 

According to Cleveland Clinic, about 60,000 people in the U.S. acquire single-sided deafness (SSD) every year, and many try to manage without the benefit of available aids. Many patients who use these devices report that listening is easier and more comfortable than without one. 

The brain uses both ears to pinpoint a sound's location and improve hearing quality and range. This function is known as binaural hearing. Single-sided deafness presents unique challenges.

Some signs of unilateral hearing loss:

1. You can't always pinpoint where a sound is coming from

2. You may struggle to hear in noisy environments

3. You may have a more challenging time telling how loud a sound is

4. You may work harder to multi-task

Causes of single-sided hearing loss:

1. Physical damage to the ear

2. Viral or bacterial infections in the inner ear

3. Tumors located in the ear or brain

4. Severe Meniere's disease

5. Head trauma

6. Diseases like measles, mumps, or meningitis

For people with mild to moderate hearing loss, a hearing aid may be all that's needed to amplify the sounds you're not hearing. Severe to profound single-sided deafness is often permanent but may be helped with CROS-style hearing aids or surgical bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA).

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