Ear
Hearing Loss and Hearing Disorders
Hearing loss can affect both the volume and clarity of sound. You may hear someone speaking but find it difficult to understand their words, particularly in a busy environment. Hearing changes can affect one or both ears and may develop gradually or suddenly. Assessment helps identify the cause, measure the degree of hearing loss and guide an individual care plan.
Recognising changes in hearing
Hearing difficulties are not always obvious at first. Sometimes family members notice a change before the person experiencing it.
Common signs include:
- Frequently asking people to repeat themselves
- Difficulty following conversations in noisy places
- Turning up the television or phone volume
- Hearing speech without understanding words clearly
- Noticing a difference between the two ears
Ringing in the ears, a feeling of fullness or dizziness may occur alongside hearing loss. These symptoms do not identify the cause on their own.
What can cause hearing loss?
Possible causes include earwax build-up, middle-ear fluid or infection, eardrum problems, age-related changes and exposure to loud noise.
Some conditions interfere with sound travelling through the outer or middle ear. Others affect the inner ear or hearing nerve. Both types of problem can occur together.
Identifying the cause matters because some hearing problems are treatable, while others require longer-term hearing support.
How is hearing assessed?
Assessment starts with a discussion of when the change began, whether it affects one or both ears, and how it influences everyday communication. Previous ear problems, noise exposure and medication use are also relevant.
An examination checks the ear canal and eardrum. Depending on the findings, hearing assessment may include:
- Pure-tone audiometry to measure the quietest sounds heard at different pitches
- Speech testing to assess hearing and understanding of spoken words
- Tympanometry to assess eardrum movement and middle-ear function
Further investigation may be appropriate when hearing loss is one-sided or differs significantly between the ears. Tests and imaging are selected according to the findings; not everyone needs the same investigations.
What treatment options are available?
Treatment depends on the cause and degree of hearing loss, as well as the person’s communication needs.
Treating earwax build-up, infection or certain middle-ear conditions may improve hearing. Surgery may be considered for selected eardrum or middle-ear problems.
For persistent hearing loss, hearing aids and hearing rehabilitation can support everyday communication. People who receive insufficient benefit from hearing aids may need specialist assessment to explore options such as cochlear implants.
Sudden inner-ear hearing loss requires prompt assessment. A clinician may consider corticosteroid treatment where appropriate, taking the person’s health and potential treatment risks into account.
The expected benefit varies between individuals. The aim is to address treatable causes and provide suitable support for hearing and communication.
When should you seek advice?
Arrange an assessment if hearing is gradually worsening, conversations are becoming harder to follow, or one ear seems to hear less clearly than the other.
Seek prompt medical advice if hearing changes are accompanied by ear pain or discharge, or if hearing is worsening rapidly over days or weeks. Sudden hearing loss needs urgent assessment, as described above.
Making everyday communication easier
Facing the person speaking, reducing background noise and having one person speak at a time can make conversations easier to follow. Asking someone to rephrase a sentence may also help.
These adjustments can support communication alongside appropriate assessment and care.
For questions about hearing assessment or to arrange a consultation, please get in touch.
Get in TouchThis information is intended as a general guide and does not replace an individual medical assessment.
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