Unilateral Hearing Loss

What is it?

Unilateral hearing loss occurs

when there is normal hearing in

one ear, and hearing impairment

in the other ear. Persons with this

type of hearing impairment may

find it more difficult to locate from what direction sound is

coming, listening on the impaired side, and understanding in

noisy backgrounds. However, if the conditions are favorable and

the environment is quiet, many with unilateral loss will

understand speech almost as well as those with normal hearing.

Causes and Treatment

Unilateral losses can be caused by head injury, acoustic tumors,

birth defects, recurrent ear infections, and various disease

processes, including measles, mumps, meningitis, and Meniere’s

disease. Treatment varies based on the severity of the loss from

use of communication strategies, hearing aids, or cochlear

implants. Special types of hearing aids may be implemented

depending on the location of the damage or dysfunction causing

the impairment. For those with sensorineural unilateral hearing

impairment, a contralateral routing of signals (CROS) hearing aid

may be used. Two “hearing aids” are worn. One is worn on the

“bad” ear that picks up the signals and transmits/routes the

sound to the “better” ear. This helps the listener in situations

where people are speaking on their “bad” side. It may also aid in

localizing the source of the sound. Bone conduction hearing aids

(BAHA) may also be used if the hearing impairment has a

conductive component. Sound is transferred to the better ear by

vibration of the skull.

For More Information, Call Hearing Aids Evanston IL

At: (847) 453-3643

Or

Visit Us At:

http://hearing-aids-evanston-il.com/