How May Each of Your Ears be Affected by Hearing Loss Differently?

When hearing loss starts to happen for some people, they might notice the inability to hear in one ear more than the other. Normal age-related hearing loss - or presbycusis - generally affects each ear evenly. If there is more hearing loss in one ear than the other this may be due to something else besides hearing problems associated with age. 

Possible Causes of Hearing Loss for One Ear 

Chronic ear infections. An infection in the middle ear is known as otitis media. This is an inflammation and infection that happens in the middle ear where fluid builds up due to bacteria. It may last for several weeks. A severe infection may block the Eustachian tube. This tube will normally drain excess fluid from the middle ear, which can affect your hearing. Depending on how thick the fluid is in the ear, these chronic ear infections can cause hearing loss ranging between 24 to 45 decibels.  

Earwax. Impacted earwax, or cerumen impaction, may cause different severities of hearing loss in each ear. About six percent of Americans have pain or hearing loss due to earwax buildup. In addition to obstructing the ear and causing hearing loss, earwax buildup can cause an infection due to bad bacteria that gets trapped in the ear. Good bacteria can help stop wax buildup and infections. In some instances there are good bacteria in one ear, but not in the other. 

Tumors. Tumors may cause dissimilarities in hearing for each ear. The most prevalent kind of tumor that may cause loss of hearing is known as acoustic neuroma. These are benign tumors that grow slowly. They can affect a person’s hearing abilities by growing on the nerve that leads from the brain to the inner ear. These nerves are linked to balance and hearing, so acoustic neuroma can cause dizziness and hearing loss. 
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If you experience hearing loss, do not ignore it! Contact us at Pure Sound Hearing Aids for a free hearing test and consultation.

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