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Ear problems
Ringing in the ears
High pitched ringing
Hearing impairment
Have tinnitus
High pitched ringing in ears
Hearing issues
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Hearing Loss?
Hearing loss is the difficulty in hearing noises and can be partial (hard of hearing) or complete (deafness). It may result from eardrum damage, damage to the hearing bones, inner ear or nerve damage, birth defects, trauma, disease, tumors, certain medications, exposure to loud noises, or aging.
Typical Symptoms of Hearing Loss
- Difficulty hearing in one or both ears
- History of tuberculosis
- Low-pitched ringing sounds in the ear, i.e. tinnitus
- High-pitched tinnitus / ringing sounds in the ear
- I experience tinnitus or other noises in my ears
- Dizziness
- Significant difference in hearing difficulty between my left and right ear
- Mental stress and physical fatigue
Diagnostic Questions for Hearing Loss
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Are you experiencing difficulty hearing in one or both ears?
- Have you ever had tuberculosis?
- Do you have a low ringing sound in your ear?
- Do you have a high pitched metallic tone or whistling sound in your ear?
- Do you experience tinnitus or other noises in your ears?
Treatment of Hearing Loss
Treatment for hearing loss depends on the cause. For some, it can be corrected by treating the underlying cause, while others may be permanent, requiring hearing aids or surgery.
Reviewed By:
Eric A. Gantwerker, MD, MMSC (Otolaryngology (ENT))
Pediatric Otolaryngologist at Northwell Health and Associate Professor of Otolaryngology at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He holds a Master of Medical Science (MMSc) in Medical Education with a special focus on educational technology, educational research, and game-based learning from Harvard Medical School and a Master of Science in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University. He has a special interest in faculty development and has been a speaker or faculty at hundreds of local, national, and international courses and conferences. He is also an active blogger and podcaster for several organizations, including the Harvard Macy Institute (HMI), Harvard Medical School CME Online, and BackTable Innovations. He has been featured in the news and print for media outlets such as USA Today, Businesswire, The Washington Post, Nature Medicine, Fox News, and KevinMD. He was also the Vice President, Medical Director of a medical video game company, Level Ex from 2018 to 2023 that utilized game technology and psychology to create interactive experiences for healthcare professionals. | He is recognized as an expert on the implementation of educational technologies and gaming with a foundation in educational theory for health professions education. He was honored to be inducted as an Associate Member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeon Educators and as an Associate Fellow of the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE).
Rohini R, MD (Otolaryngology (ENT))
Dr. Rohini R is an ENT, Head and Neck Surgeon, with a Fellowship in Advanced Endoscopic Sinus and Skull Base Surgery and a Fellowship in Aesthetic Medicine and Lasers. Besides clinical practice and working with Ubie, she is actively training and mentoring medical students and residents. She has functioned in various work settings - teaching hospitals, private and free health centers, and worked with patients from all socioeconomic backgrounds due to her experience in free hospitals and volunteering in India and Singapore.
Content updated on Mar 31, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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With a free 3-min Hearing Loss quiz, powered by Ubie's AI and doctors, find possible causes of your symptoms.
This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Hearing loss worse on the right
- Hard of hearing in both ears but more on one side
- Hearing loss worse on the left
- Can't hear things properly
- Hearing loss worse on one side than the other
- Deafness
- Tingling in the ears
- Deafness worse on one side
- Have trouble hearing
- Can't hear well on both sides but one side (left / right) is worse
- Low frequency hearing
- Low frequency buzzing in the ear
- Tinnitus can be heard on one side only
- Ringing in my right ear
- Buzzing in left ear
See full list
Symptoms Related to Hearing Loss
Diseases Related to Hearing Loss
FAQs
Q.
Sudden muffled hearing in one ear? How to fix
A.
There are several causes and fixes to consider for sudden muffled hearing in one ear: earwax, middle-ear fluid or Eustachian tube blockage, barotrauma, and noise exposure are common, but sudden sensorineural hearing loss is an emergency that often needs prompt steroid treatment within 72 hours. Try safe first steps like wax-softening drops, gentle swallowing or Valsalva to equalize pressure, and short-term decongestants, but seek urgent care if hearing drops suddenly without a clear cause or with ringing, vertigo, severe pain, drainage, facial weakness, or after head injury; key red flags, timelines, and step-by-step treatments are outlined below.
References:
Chandrasekhar SS, Do BS, Schwartz SR, et al. (2019). Clinical practice guideline: Sudden hearing loss (update). Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 30601345.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30601345/
Wei BP, King A. (2013). Interventions for idiopathic sudden sensorineural… Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 23481126.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23481126/
European Association for the Study of the Liver & Asociación Latinoamericana para el Estudio del Hígado. (2015). EASL–ALEH Clinical Practice Guidelines: Non-invasive tests for… Journal of Hepatology, 25865462.
Q.
What changes are coming to social security in 2026 and will it affect my health?
A.
In 2026, expect a 2.5–3.5% COLA, a higher taxable-earnings cap near $176,000, bend points rising about 3–4%, no change to the full retirement age of 67, and modest Medicare Part B premium increases of roughly $6–10 per month, with small deductible and coinsurance upticks. These changes will not directly change medical care but can influence your health through income, stress, and your ability to afford preventive visits, medications, and diagnostics. There are several factors to consider, and key details that could shape your next steps are explained below.
References:
Stringhini S, Carmeli C, Jokela M, et al. (2017). Socioeconomic status and the 25×25 risk factors as determinants of… premature mortality: a multicohort study and meta-analysis of 1·7 million men and women. Lancet, 27789572.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27789572/
Tsochatzis EA, Gurusamy KS, Ntaoula S, Cholongitas E, Davidson BR, Burroughs AK. (2011). Elastography for the diagnosis of severity of fibrosis in chronic liver disease: a… review and meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy. J Hepatol, 21144877.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21144877/
European Association for the Study of the Liver. (2015). EASL-ALEH Clinical Practice Guidelines: non-invasive tests for evaluation of liver disease severity and prognosis. Journal of Hepatology, 25911389.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Lieu JEC, Kenna M, Anne S, Davidson L. Hearing Loss in Children: A Review. JAMA. 2020 Dec 1;324(21):2195-2205. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.17647. PMID: 33258894.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2773567Nieman CL, Oh ES. Hearing Loss. Ann Intern Med. 2020 Dec 1;173(11):ITC81-ITC96. doi: 10.7326/AITC202012010. PMID: 33253610.
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/AITC202012010Michels TC, Duffy MT, Rogers DJ. Hearing Loss in Adults: Differential Diagnosis and Treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2019 Jul 15;100(2):98-108. PMID: 31305044.
https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2019/0715/p98.htmlShapiro SB, Noij KS, Naples JG, Samy RN. Hearing Loss and Tinnitus. Med Clin North Am. 2021 Sep;105(5):799-811. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2021.05.003. Epub 2021 Jul 12. PMID: 34391534.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025712521000717?via%3Dihub