Sided Deafness? Here’s All You Need to Know About Unilateral Hearing Loss
Does one of your ears hears better than the other?
Is it easier to follow conversations when people are sitting closer to that ear?
Do you have a preference for which ear to use on the telephone or when conversing with people?
You might be suffering from unilateral hearing loss, the condition when the hearing is normal in one ear and the other ear has some degree of hearing loss.
Unilateral hearing loss, also referred to as one sided deafness, is a common form of hearing loss that may range from mild to profound.
An individual with unilateral hearing loss may face difficulty in;
· localising the source of sound
· Receiving speech and understanding conversations in noisy environments
· Actively socialise or indulge in conversations using the impaired ear.
With unilateral hearing loss, the sufferer can still experience a level of hearing comparable with normal hearing, but in crowdy and noisy environments it can be challenging for the sufferer to engage in conversations as comfortable and freely.
What causes unilateral hearing loss?
There are a number of conditions that can potential affect the hearing in one ear including:
· Viral and bacterial infections
· Trauma
· Head or ear injuries
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· Circulatory disorders
· Meniere’s disease
· Acoustic neuroma
· Exposure lo loud noise
· Ototoxic drugs
· Ageing
How can it be treated?
· Non-Surgical Treatments
The most common non-surgical treatment option for one sided deafness is hearing aids. Though hearing devices can’t cure unilateral hearing loss, but they can improve hearing in affected ear to some degree.
CROS and BiCROS hearing technology is designed to direct environmental sounds coming to the normal ear to the ear with affected hearing while restoring the sensation of hearing in the affected ear. Both solutions help improve speech understanding, sound awareness and reduce listening effort by improving the ability to hear from both ears.
Furthermore, both the hearing aid solutions can be reprogrammed to meet the changing hearing needs of the user.
You can find a number of companies that offer hearing aids online at competitive rates along with repair, hearing assessment and expert consultancy services. To find the right solution for your hearing, consult with your audiologist.
· Surgical Treatments
Bone-anchored implants are a common surgical treatment option for people with unilateral hearing loss. The procedure involves surgically anchoring a titanium screw to the scull behind the ear with normal hearing. A sound processor is then externally to transit environmental sound through the scull to the inner ear.
CONCLUSION
Though single-sided deafness only affects the hearing in one ear, there are a number of difficulties unilateral hearing loss sufferers have to deal with which affect their quality of life to a great extent.
If you have unilateral hearing loss or suspect that a dear one may be having difficulty hearing from one ear, ensure immediate hearing care and treatment from an experienced practitioner. Hearing loss, be it unilateral or bilateral, when left untreated can affect personal relationships, professional career and overall quality of life.
